You would think states that have been governed by Republicans for years would have lower income tax rates than Democratic states.  But that's not always the case.

Take Wisconsin, which has been governed by Scott Walker and a Republican legislature for years.  Do you know what the top income tax rate is?  7.75%.  In the nearby People's Republic of Illinois, the top rate is only 3.75%.  Scott Walker has enacted right to work laws and other positive legislation, but why has he left the tax rates so high?  Wisconsin is in the news today because a Republican state Senate race in a heavily Republican district was lost to a Democrat.  Voters need reasons to come out for Republicans.

South Carolina's top rate is 7%.  The Republicans have controlled the legislature there for years.  And do you know who was governor until recently?  Nikki Haley.  Why didn't she do anything about the high tax rate there?

Arkansas's top tax rate is 6.9%.  Why hasn't Asa Hutchinson or the Republican legislature lowered taxes there?

Louisiana, which for years was governed by Republicans and Bobby Jindal, has a top rate of 6%.

Iowa has a huge 8.98% top income tax rate.  Why does a rural farm state have such a high tax rate?  What is it that requires so much subsidizing?  Why didn't Terry Branstad do anything to lower a New York-like top tax rate?

Nebraska's top tax rate, at 6.84%, isn't very good, either.  Can't we expect more by states that have been ruled by Republicans for years?

And why does Idaho, which almost never elects Democrats, have a top rate of 7.4%?  Why does the Idaho state government need so much money?

Other Republican states are not great, either, with top rates of 5%-6% in places like Tennessee, North Carolina, Utah, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma.

There's something odd about Republican states with high income tax rates, especially Republican states without big urban populations in need of welfare.  When Republicans start to lose elections and wonder why voters have soured on them, perhaps they can figure out why.

Ed Straker is the senior writer at Newsmachete.com.