It wasn't always that way. I think the MSM sorts got together at some point and decided that it might be harmful if the Dim states continued to be illustrated as 'red' states.
Looks like it changed in 1992.
Yes. I remember that the red and blue colors switched every election. Then the libs stuck us with red. It would have been better if Republicans were stuck with blue, but the Dems made us get stuck with red. Pissed me off at the time.