You do realize that every state you mentioned has had a Republican Governor recently? Michigan and Illinois had Republican Governors until 2003, and Massachusetts and New York had Republican Governors until 2007. In my very blue state, we have a Republican Governor. Don’t be so quick to assume.
Yeah, Rockefeller Republicans. Olympia Stowe, Arlen Specter, and the like. Throw in Ahnuld Schwartzkopf.