Some of the correlation is with rural vs. urban areas. States with big metros did poorly regardless of party leanings. Texas is a good example. Northern New Englad lacks metros, but they are small in area. For instance road funds depend in part on miles of road, not only the number of users.
Leave your "logic" and "reasoned responses" at the door. There is no place for that in this thread.
Well, he is correct, of course, although the more urban states tend to be more Democratic, so the correlation still holds. I agree that the causation is not caused by the politics of the states directly, but it is still a relationship nonetheless.