Ron, it is true that in the old days, most of the Southerners belonged to the Democratic Party, and so Democratic Party in the South was racist (it was really a holdover from the Civil War, Lincoln was a Republican, so as a reaction, the south embraced Democratic Party wholeheartedly).
Indeed, some remnants of that could still be seen around. Democratic Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia, more than 90 years old is a former KKK member.
So at one time, Republican Party was the one who championed minority rights, civil rights. Proportionately more Republicans voted for the Civil Rights legislation during Johnson presidency than Democrats did. All the Southern democrats voted against it.
However, there was a big transition in the late 60s and 70s, mainly due to Nixon’s Southern Strategy. Nixon was astute enough to see that there are many more Southern whites than there are blacks, and more votes are to be had by courting the religious right, the southern whites than are to be had by courting the blacks.
So he systematically proceeded to transform the Republican Party into a predominantly white, southern party with undertones of racism. And he succeeded, by now the transformation is almost complete. Southern whites overwhelmingly are Republican these days.
Indeed, it used to be said in the old days in Texas, that there will never be enough Republicans in Texas to hold a primary. These days the same can be said of the Democrats.
These days Republican Party is associated with racism (while not all Republicans are racists, most of the racists are Republican). Republicans get very few black votes these days (though they do have a lock on Southern white vote), Democrats get the most.
Indeed, some remnants of that could still be seen around. Democratic Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia, more than 90 years old is a former KKK member.
So at one time, Republican Party was the one who championed minority rights, civil rights. Proportionately more Republicans voted for the Civil Rights legislation during Johnson presidency than Democrats did. All the Southern democrats voted against it.
However, there was a big transition in the late 60s and 70s, mainly due to Nixon’s Southern Strategy. Nixon was astute enough to see that there are many more Southern whites than there are blacks, and more votes are to be had by courting the religious right, the southern whites than are to be had by courting the blacks.
So he systematically proceeded to transform the Republican Party into a predominantly white, southern party with undertones of racism. And he succeeded, by now the transformation is almost complete. Southern whites overwhelmingly are Republican these days.
Indeed, it used to be said in the old days in Texas, that there will never be enough Republicans in Texas to hold a primary. These days the same can be said of the Democrats.
These days Republican Party is associated with racism (while not all Republicans are racists, most of the racists are Republican). Republicans get very few black votes these days (though they do have a lock on Southern white vote), Democrats get the most.
