New Hampshire

[NorthernDog]

As a side note Vermont was an underpopulated Republican bastion until the 1970s, when lots of liberals (like Howard Dean) started moving in with a concerted effort to take over the state.  Perhaps NH's strict anti-tax laws have made it unpalatable to such efforts, and it has remained more conservative than the rest of NewEngland.

[NorthernDog]

An American friend of mine told me that politicians of both colours tend to be socially liberal in liberal states and vice versa. Is that usually correct? If so, would a 'liberal' Republican be elected in Utah or Texas? Even if they were up against a socially conservative Democrat?

I think this is the tendency but there's quite a few exceptions.  There's pro-life Democrats around and pro-choice abortion Republicans if you really look at voting records.  Until this year Dennis Kucinnich was pro-life!