Are the states of the South traditionally

[GtoRA2]

Are the states of the South traditionally Democrat?

I have a friend who said they where, cause the north was republican.

What's the scoop?

If they are not, where they ever?

What I want to know basically is are they still or where they ever?

I have another friend who is a hardcore dem, and when you say south he thinks "Racist" and can not believe that they are dem states or ever where.

Who is wrong?

I tried to google this and didn't find anything real useful.

[Cabby44]

The South was solidly "Democrat"  until the late 1960's , when the South shed that anchor and shifted to becoming solidly Republican.  

Quote:

"I have another friend who is a hardcore dem, and when you say south he thinks "Racist" and can not believe that they are dem states or ever where. "

Your "hardcore" Dem friend is either ignorant, or a moron.  Or both.....

C.

[Ripsnort]

Actually, in the early 60's, the most racist people on planet earth were both democrat, and from the south!

[Montezuma]

Originally posted by GtoRA2
Are the states of the South traditionally Democrat?

They were for a long time, the South was mad about Republican President Lincoln.  Only when the Democratic party began embracing civil rights for blacks in the 1960s did they start losing their support in the 'Solid South'.  See the recent Trent Lott/Strom Thurmond affair for a review of this.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Montezuma
They were for a long time, the South was mad about Republican President Lincoln.  Only when the Democratic party began embracing civil rights for blacks in the 1960s did they start losing their support in the 'Solid South'.  See the recent Trent Lott/Strom Thurmond affair for a review of this.

Don't leave out Byrd

[Reschke]

Take a look at the results from the last Presidential Elections and you will see the predominate voting within the South.

[hblair]

George Wallace was a proud democrat.

[rpm]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Actually, in the early 60's, the most racist people on planet earth were both democrat, and from the south!

Rip, it was pretty bad back then. But I wouldn't go quite that far. South Africa was quite a bit worse than the Southern States, and for much longer. Might I point out it was LBJ, a Southern Democrat, that pushed so hard for Civil Rights in his Great Society.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by rpm371
Rip, it was pretty bad back then. But I wouldn't go quite that far. South Africa was quite a bit worse than the Southern States, and for much longer. Might I point out it was LBJ, a Southern Democrat, that pushed so hard for Civil Rights in his Great Society.

And conservatives during the era thought that a Democrat pushing for Civil rights was quite a joke!  After all, it was that party was wanted to keep segregation alive.  At least Johnson did ONE good thing while in office.

[Seeker]

google "dixiecrat".


It was Kennedy that broke the Democrat passion for segregation.

[JBA]

Originally posted by Reschke
Take a look at the results from the last Presidential Elections and you will see the predominate voting within the South.

I don't understand your point.
see results below.
red Republican won:  Blue Democrat won

[MRPLUTO]

American political parties make little sense.  

As Montezuma pointed out, it was because Lincoln was a Republican that the Southerners became Democrats.  It hadnothing to do with being liberal or conservative.  If you try to think about it in those terms you will be hopelessly confused.

LBJ, being a Southerner, was able to push for civil rights in a way that a northern president could not have.  I agree with Rip that it is perhaps the only thing his administration accomplished.

 MRPLUTO

[Sundiver]

Texas has been strongly Democratic from the time it joined the Union until the last election. The last election is the first time in the history of the state that we've had a Republic majority.

 Now, I'm neither Republican nor Democrat. I am conservative. Iy galls me to no end that the Texas Democrats fled the state to avoid what was for them a bad situation and said that they were doing their duty by fleeing the state. We had to send Texas Rangers to go round them up not once but twice. But, that's probably more appropriate in another thread.

[Leslie]

Originally posted by hblair
George Wallace was a proud democrat.

George Wallace was one of the best politicians there ever was.  His opponents tried to trip him up many times with leading questions designed for that purpose.  Wallace was too smart for that.  While he was one of those politicans who would hold his finger to the breeze...I think he was governor of Alabama for something like 25 years or so, along with Lurleen.  He did a 180 from standing in the schoolhouse door, to recognizing civil rights for blacks.

He had a good chance of being president if he had not been shot.  That's sad because I think he would have been a great president.  We'll never know now.  Guess it wasn't meant to be.




Les

[MRPLUTO]

I don't think Wallace would have made a good president.  Remember, when he ran for president and was injured in the assasination attempt he was still an unrepentent racist.

To his eternal credit, he changed his ways and did come to believe in equal rights and respect for non-whites.

*******

I'm from Virginia, and here in the early 60's, The State theater in Falls Church was segregated; blacks sat in the balcony (where it was warmer).

And until the late 60's it was illegal in Virginia to marry someone from a different race.  I kid you not.

MRPLUTO