"Is there anything?" "Just repeat 'God' and go," the man replied, and the driver sped up and over the bridge, gunning the engine as he turned west, relaxing only after he reached the solidly state-controlled coast.
On the other end of the spectrum, Vermont is the most solidly blue state, with only 8% of the state's donations going to Republican candidates.
But there has been hardly any campaigning in what remains the most solidly Democratic state in the nation, and the 10th smallest, with just four electoral votes.
National Democrats worked to recruit General Sanchez into a race they think he can make competitive in a solidly Republican state because of his appeal to the state's growing Hispanic population.
Although New York is, on the whole, a solidly Democratic state, the more moderate and conservative parts of the state ― in Long Island, Staten Island and the vast regions beyond metropolitan New York City ― are often major battlegrounds in elections for the House of Representatives.
That is, while Republicans have elected radical right-wing politicians in deep red states (or even purple states like Florida and Nevada), many solidly blue states are represented by Democrats who are centrist.
But it was symbolic moment: a centre-right, pragmatic Republican triumphed in New Jersey, a solidly Democratic state, while a staunchly conservative Republican lost in Virginia, a traditional swing-state he had been tipped to win just a few months ago.
Now, however, Delaware is a solidly blue state.
Wisconsin has been a solidly blue state since 1988, Michigan since 1992.
It is far from a solidly Republican state.
Mr. Beebe is a very popular Democrat in a solidly conservative state.
