Our national map allows you to see state-by-state voting patterns since 1960, and track the geographic and ideological shift in the Republican party since 1976.

One year after hitting bottom in the aftermath of President Obama's election, Republicans have taken their first concrete steps toward recovery. But they remain an embattled and divided force, facing an electorate still skeptical about their capacity to govern and embroiled in a struggle between party regulars and populist conservative forces over how to return to power.

With gubernatorial victories by Robert F. McDonnell in Virginia and Chris Christie in New Jersey, Republicans today are more energized than at any time since the early months of 2005, when there was talk of...