I hold the belief that many social ills (abortion, teen pregnancy, voting republican, racism, etc...) stem from prevailing economic conditions. There is no doubt in my mind that our future economic prosperity depends on our ability to create new technology and hence new markets. Only states that make the financial investment to develop and attract intellectual capital will be able to meet the future with open arms. While I can't make the sociological arguments, I don't think its hard to see how communities closely tied to innovation and discovery foster progressive values.
With some help from the National Science Foundation(
http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf03324/start.htm), I compiled a list of states that attract the most R&D dollars from industry and academia combined. It isn't much of surprise that this list includes most of blue America with the west cost, new england, NY, PA, MI, MN, IL, NJ, MD, DC, NM and DE. The surprise members of this club are OH, VA, NC, CO and AZ. Idaho making it on this list is just one of the many mysteries of the universe.
VA, CO and NC aren't really much of a surprise if you work in the telecom industry. These states have fine higher education institutions in place. Plus, the homebase for IBM research is in Raleigh along with numerous telecom startups throughout eastern VA, NC and the greater Denver area. Time and further growth should shift the demographics in these states to suit progressive political candidates. AZ is the home to many federal research agencies, while OH, a former player in the chemical industry, is on the decline. I believe democrats need to start laying the groundwork for a strong political presence in these states. Its time the DNC took a few cans of blue paint to the states that are emerging from a long red haze.
p.s: If you can make sense of Idaho, I'm all ears. I have a nice image of what this map looks like, I just don't know how to post pictures.