Before the 2000 election red was blue and blue was red appropriately so since Leftists have always been associated with the color red because they are Red.
You know, my brother and I have discussed this in depth and you are the only person I’ve seen that seem to notice this. We’ve always been ‘blue’ up until 2000. Thank you for pointing that out.
The ‘red’ was switched to repubs precisely because of the association with communists, marxists a.k.a. hardliners etc. It’s been an attempt to link us with that type of radicalism in the public’s mind. Ironic.
The Communist media can get away with anything, so far. Soon, I hope their personnel will face We The People and it won't be pretty.
The Communists keep changing their name every other election. They are now officially "progressive" because names like Marxists, Communists, Fascists, Liberals, Democrats, Socialists, Reds (became blue and they're acting like blue-blooded Royalty!), etc. tell a lot about them. "progress" is an acceptable good word until they co-opted it, which remind me of the hijacking of the word "gay," one of the nicest words in the English language.
I do believe that one day, the rise of another McCarthy from We The People will outlaw them and their judges, academics, environmentalists, Greens, peace and animal Leftists to the dustbin of history.
Prior to the 2000 election (I think it was that one...) one color was for incumbent on the map and the other was for challenger (I don’t remember which was which right now). After 2000, the news media held the colors static... and I agree with the reasons you suggest.