What are the reasons behind the Democratic Presidential candidates better showings in recent history?
The South has swung to the GOP since the early 90s in congressional elections. They're now the driving force when it comes to all matters related to ideology making the party focus on social issues instead of addressing matters that moderates in the rest of the country care about. And with every successive election, the South has become more powerful within the GOP, driving the party even further to the right which then again makes it more popular at the polls in the South at the next election (sort of like a vicious circle of moving to the right). Surely it can't be a coincidence that since the South has switched its congressional allegiance, the GOP has been on a steady downward slope in presidential elections.
Just some stats...in 94, Southern Republicans made up 28% of the GOP House caucus, with the GOP winning 53.5% of all non-Southern seats in that year's congressional election. Starting in 2013, Southern Republicans will make up 42% of the party's House caucus, with the GOP winning only 46% of all non-Southern House seats. Moderates are being driven out and replaced by hardliners with every successive election.
