What is the origin of the "red" for Republican and "blue for Democrat?

If I’m not mistaken it simply comes from the map graphics that news stations started using some years ago to show which party won which states and such. Somehow blue and red just stuck as the colors for the two parties.

Good question.

<sarcasm on>

My guess is that it is a small part of the ongoing liberal media conspiracy to promote the idea that the Republicans are somehow evil (as implied by the red color) while the Democrats are cool (as implied by the blue color).

<sarcasm off>

Here you go.

It’s older than you think (although not always consistent).

I have heard that after Ronald Reagan’s electoral map coloring the country blue, like the Pacific Ocean, the media decided better to make the Republicans red, because the far left is accused sometimes of being so extreme they are like socialists, worse communists, red, and so the less association the dems have with red the better.

@crisw Very interesting. Thanks for the link.

GQ.

I always thought it had something to do with the Red Coats and Blue Coats from the American Revolutionary war. I never looked into it though ..until now. Thanks for the link @crisw.

Republicans are worthless, bible thumping rednecks and Democrats blow.