"Popularity" one way or the other doesn't equate to something being a good or bad idea. Perhaps something like the EC should be considered in other situations. Any entrenched power structure isn't about to let their skin in the game get changed (surely there are better ways to assess and collect taxes, but don't kid yourself for a second to think the IRS is getting modified).
It's anecdotal, but MD is a good example. You win the populace of five counties around DC/Balto and Balto City, well, the race for governor is over. They "rule" the entirety of the state. The other 18 counties literally do not matter. As a result, since 1959, the R gov's have been Spiro Agnew for 2 years before becoming VP, Bob Ehrlich for 4 years, and Larry Hogan for 8. That's 14 years R versus 50 years of D's. It's only happened when the D's ran the worst candidate imaginable and even with Hogan, he got re-elected because he was smart enough to be anti-orange in an area that's deeply blue. The central area of MD is far, far different from the western portion and the eastern shore/southern MD areas. If there wasn't a geographic blob stuck in the middle, I feel certain that those unrepresented areas would have tried to form a new state eons ago.
But like I said before, all good.