Maine would be a solid Republican state but for the social issues. One of two states that never voted for FDR.
Massholes moving in over the years?
Farmers wanting gov't handouts?
Small industrial/logging towns with heavy Union participation?
the heavily populated 2 southern counties are heavily DEM ... just eastern suburbanites and MASS transplants who like the chic coastal towns. Most of the counties are strong Republican .... but sparsely populated.
Maybe there is the anti-war, anti-big government types who identify the GOP with “the military-industrial complex” bit.