purple state

Meaning

Noun

• A swing state. (In the modern United States) a state that may support the Democratic or Republican Party; a state that is equally like to vote for the Democratic or Republican Party in general; a state that behaves as a red state in some given elections and a blue state in other given elections.

Origin

• Compound of purple + state, modeled on blue state and red state. From purple being a blend of blue and red colors, where the color representing the Democratic Party of the United States is blue and that representing the Republican Party of the United States is red.