Red vs Blue

This morning, the talking head at the WRKO mentioned
something that I noticed a while ago. How is GOP/GWB
state red? Isn't red the color of communism? Shouldn't
the red and blue states be switched?
Anyway, having lived in "Red State" most of my life,
I am glad to be in a blue(bluest?) state for a change.
And please, please, don't remind me that I merely
moved from one people's republic to another.