Mississippi has the lowest net favorability of an U.S. state, at just +2 percentage points. In this image, the state's flag flies next to the U.S. flag and a Confederate monument in the town of Brandon, in 2023.
President Donald Trump has a malevolent preference for red states, throwing money at them while he withholds it from blue states. And yet as the nation travels for Thanksgiving this week, Americans generally prefer blue states to red ones.
On average, 55% of Americans have a favorable view of blue states, while 24% have an unfavorable view, according to a Daily Kos analysis of YouGov data. That makes for a net favorability of +31 percentage points.
But red states have a net favorability of just +24 points. On average, less than half of Americans have a favorable view of red states (48%), and 24% have an unfavorable view.
Americans also have a sunnier view of swing states, which have an average net favorability of +30 points—basically the same as blue states. Fifty-three percent of Americans have a favorable view of them on average, and 23% have an unfavorable view.
Daily Kos determined the partisanship of a state by averaging the results of its past three presidential elections (2016, 2020, and 2024) and its most recent Senate race and gubernatorial race. States that a party won by 15 percentage points or more on average are considered “blue” or “red” states. States won by smaller margins on average are considered “swing” states.
The most polarizing states are also the nation’s most populous: Texas, New York, Florida, and California. The Golden State is far and away the most polarizing, with 26% having a very favorable view of it and 25% having a very unfavorable view.
Notably, Texas and Florida, despite their reputations, are not solidly red. In fact, neither is considered a “red state” according to the methodology outlined above. Across the past three presidential elections, as well as the state’s most recent Senate race and governor’s race, the Republican candidate won, on average, by only 10.0 points in Florida and 9.5 points in Texas.
Compare that with California and New York, where the Democratic candidate won, on average, by 23.1 points and 16.6 points, respectively.
Mississippi, a red state, is among the more polarizing states as well, but it shares the dubious honor of having the lowest net approval rating of any state, at just +2 points. Thirty-seven percent have a favorable view of the state, while 35% have a negative view.
Democrats’ favorite red state is Alaska (R+15.3), home of grizzly bears and moose, with all its panoramic natural beauty. Sixty-five percent have a very or somewhat favorable view of the Last Frontier.
And Republicans’ favorite blue state is Hawaii (D+28.8), because obviously. Fifty-five percent have a very or somewhat favorable view of the Aloha State.
It’s also worth noting that Washington, D.C., is excluded from the data above. It has arguably the worst favorability of any location YouGov included in this survey (+1 net favorability), but it was excluded from Daily Kos’ “blue state” group because, for one thing, it’s tainted by the stink of the swamp. Only 15% of Americans approve of Congress, according to Gallup—and that’s a burden that no other state shares.
And for another thing, it’s not a state. But if Republicans want to change that, drop me a line. D.C. statehood is something I’d sure be thankful for.
