One difference between Northern tier states like Minnesota and New York and the South is that rural, predominantly white areas vote 55-60% Republican, whereas similar areas in Southern states vote 75-90% Republican. In one Texas Panhandle county, the Democrat U.S. Senate candidate received 3.5% of the vote, barely beating the Libertarian candidate, who got 2.5%. Additionally, while the core counties in Southern states are liberal, the suburban counties are not. (I exclude the Northern Virginia and south Florida metro areas, which are Northeastern/Caribbean colonies.) OTOH, most of the suburban counties around New York City went Democrat, though by lesser margins than the city proper.
Even in darkest Yankeeland, there is a glimmer of hope, in the three "M" states in that region electing Republican (though RINO) governors.