[LonePalm]

The red and blue had nothing to do with one party or the other.

Blue was used for the party holding the White House and red for the challenger.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[Paladin2]

"Blue was used for the party holding the White House and red for the challenger. "

That's the way I remember it.

Now the colors need to be reversed whenever possible, rather than to roll over and go along.

[Right Wing Assault]

Blue was used for the party holding the White House and red for the challenger.

Not in '80 and '84. It was the reverse.

[Republican Wildcat]

Reagan’s states were blue in 1980 and Carter’s red - I posted the video link above.