The fact half of what was Orange County is now in Idaho clearly had a bit of a long-term impact.
It's not a secret that much of the population growth in Idaho (and Utah to a lesser extent) in the 1990s and 2000s was right-wingers initially from Orange County who resented the state's growing social liberalism.
Wouldn't they go to Arizona or Texas before Utah or Idaho, then? I'd imagine that those types of people would want to stay in warm areas.
Idaho was probably a lot cheaper, and it looked nice. It also helps that Idaho was more strongly socon even before the migration. It helps that Idaho isn't that big in the first place.
