Those states that are definitely blue and definitely red just mean that so much of the country doesn't matter when it comes to campaigning. By coincidence, I happened to be reading about the 1960 election earlier today and it stood out that Richard Nixon spent time and resources (read:
wasted time and resources) campaigning in all fifty states whereas John Kennedy focused almost exclusively on swing states. Considering that Nixon had good cause to cry foul on Democratic voter fraud in Michigan and Texas, two states which would have given him the Presidency had he won them, had he similarly focused just on swing states he might have done better in those now-crucial few states that actually matter. A bit ironic that the guy who tries to reach everyone gets it "wrong" and the guy who games the system gets it "right".
And I always love resharing this image:
The final five weeks of the 2004 election; personal appearances and millions of dollars spent on ad campaigns.
Look how much of the country just doesn't matter.