Matthew T. Corrigan
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813031606
- eISBN:
- 9780813039251
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813031606.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
Once known as a Democratic stronghold, the “Solid South” is now politically dominated by the Republican Party. This book explores how the interaction of race relations, economic isolation, and ...
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Once known as a Democratic stronghold, the “Solid South” is now politically dominated by the Republican Party. This book explores how the interaction of race relations, economic isolation, and religion create a unique set of challenges and opportunities for the majority party in the American South. The book uses a case study of Jacksonville, Florida, to examine the attitudes of southern voters more broadly. As an urban southern city that now votes solidly Republican, it reflects the political changes that have taken place across the region. Drawing on research that includes over 2,000 surveys and interviews, the book considers whether or not Republicans, who now hold a majority of federal offices in the South, can provide a political system to address the region's problems.Less
Once known as a Democratic stronghold, the “Solid South” is now politically dominated by the Republican Party. This book explores how the interaction of race relations, economic isolation, and religion create a unique set of challenges and opportunities for the majority party in the American South. The book uses a case study of Jacksonville, Florida, to examine the attitudes of southern voters more broadly. As an urban southern city that now votes solidly Republican, it reflects the political changes that have taken place across the region. Drawing on research that includes over 2,000 surveys and interviews, the book considers whether or not Republicans, who now hold a majority of federal offices in the South, can provide a political system to address the region's problems.
Chris Danielson
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780813037387
- eISBN:
- 9780813042350
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Florida
- DOI:
- 10.5744/florida/9780813037387.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, African-American History
This book discusses the central role that race played in Mississippi's gradual transition from a Democratic stronghold to a solidly Republican state. Prior to 1965, the state had almost no black ...
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This book discusses the central role that race played in Mississippi's gradual transition from a Democratic stronghold to a solidly Republican state. Prior to 1965, the state had almost no black political participation, but, in just over twenty years, it had hundreds of black elected officials. The growth of black political power was contested by white politicians in both parties, who alternated between resistance to and solicitation of black voters. These mechanisms of resistance included numerous vote-dilution schemes to weaken black voting strength and defeat black candidates. Eventually, the Democratic Party achieved integration, but white Democrats still held the real power in the party. The price of this integration was the increasing defection of white voters to the Republicans, who abandoned interracial efforts in favor of racial conservatism and indifference to black concerns. Unlike recent studies arguing that class, economics, or other nonracial issues played a role in southern political realignment, this study reinforces the fact that race was at the heart of the “Great White Switch” of Mississippi to the GOP in the 1980s.Less
This book discusses the central role that race played in Mississippi's gradual transition from a Democratic stronghold to a solidly Republican state. Prior to 1965, the state had almost no black political participation, but, in just over twenty years, it had hundreds of black elected officials. The growth of black political power was contested by white politicians in both parties, who alternated between resistance to and solicitation of black voters. These mechanisms of resistance included numerous vote-dilution schemes to weaken black voting strength and defeat black candidates. Eventually, the Democratic Party achieved integration, but white Democrats still held the real power in the party. The price of this integration was the increasing defection of white voters to the Republicans, who abandoned interracial efforts in favor of racial conservatism and indifference to black concerns. Unlike recent studies arguing that class, economics, or other nonracial issues played a role in southern political realignment, this study reinforces the fact that race was at the heart of the “Great White Switch” of Mississippi to the GOP in the 1980s.
