hhh. Not a bad theory.
Maybe the reason California's so crazy is because they are farthest away from the source of Cheerwine : NorthCarolina
https://old.reddit.com/r/NorthCarolina/comments/ajjz49/maybe_the_reason_californias_so_crazy_is_because/
About - Cheerwine
https://cheerwine.com/about
Sort of a cult following. Similar to Dr Pepper, but better. Like sweet tea, its distribution is spreading across the US. When I was a kid, it was mostly in country stores around here. We'll find some in Asheville, for sure.
>>Cheerwine
Goes great with Carolina barbecue. I am not really a fan of it outside of that context though.