I like the idea of a communist South, and AFAIK, only one other timeline has done that: The Articles of Deconfederation by GBehm.Here are my plans:
The South: Likely authoritarian, either communist or a semi-Fascist apartheid state.
California: OTL Argentina, but slightly wealthier, less corrupt and more Asian (especially Filipino) influenced.
Louisiana: French speaking, but with Hispanic, Italian, Irish, African and Native influences.