It could deal with their final vote total. Wasn't that the election where George Wallace stole some seats? Could it deal with percentage of vote? Maybe they didn't get 50%? 40%?
I think scarface and others here solved that one. 'Carried their state of birth', er, 'birth state'.
It is indeed having to do with carrying birth state. FYI, Kerry was born in Colorado.
Regards, Ivan