Talk Elections

Why did William Bryan carry the south? It seems like this is when the southern realignment should have occured.

Bryan was, after all, very economically left-wing.

The South was never extremely anti-Populist...

And the South was very very poor. Also, I think there was a realignment in the South in the Bryan years. The Populists mounted something of a challenge in a number of Southern states such as Arkansas IIRC - and then went on to endorse Bryan in 96 - making the South more solid than ever. Turnout in the South took another big downwards step at the end of the Bryan era, too. In fact Black turnout didn't really fall towards nil until this period, which saw enactment of a no of Grandfather Clauses etc.

Yes, as was the South... Besides, the Democrats were neutral on segregation at this time, while the GOP was mildly pro-civil rights.

The South was economically left-wing? They voted for Grover Cleveland three times. When did they become right-wing?

They voted on cultural issues (i.e., hating the GOP as the Party of Lincoln and Reconstruction). The South started swinging to the right economically during the suburban boom of the Fifties, when a great many southerners became affluent for the first time.

The rural South is still very much Populist country.

Yes, states like Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and South Carolina are very much populist.  States like Tennesse, Alabama, and Florida have moved less populist in the years do to growth of suburbs.

South Carolina is definitely not populist at all. I don't know about Mississippi and Louisiana, but they conistently elect conservative senators who are big advocates of tax reform.

There is a difference between state and federal politcs in these states.
As for South Carolina, well they did reelect Fritz Hollings quite recently.

Yes, as was the South... Besides, the Democrats were neutral on segregation at this time, while the GOP was mildly pro-civil rights.

The Democrats were not neutral, they were totally racist at this time.  The Democrats were against all civil rights, favored (actually invented) Jim Crow laws, and used terror to keep Southern Blacks from registering.  The southern Democrats wielded the filibuster to block any legislation that affected blacks.  Even a Northern like Woodrow Wilson was a harsh racist with nothing but disdain for Blacks.
Given the long history of the Filibuster as a tool of Racists, its fairly ironic that the current crop of Democratic Senators are once again trying to block the majority with the Filibuster.

wasn't Woodrow Wilson actually a Virginian by birth, having been born in Staunton? 

and with regard to his racism, i doubt he was any more racist than anyone else at that time. 

Yes, Wilson was a Southerner. Very much so.

Philip, this is the exact reason that Democrats still have huge majorities in state governments of some of the deepest southern states. It's all about populism - the Republicans can, however, since the state is so used to electing federal representatives from the GOP, fairly easily get away with nominating full-fledged conservatives.

Um, no. Part of the modern southern strategy is emphasizing tax cuts.

So how exactly do you explain heavily populist, Democratically-controlled state senates? Magic?

As Bob said:


I don't know what heavily populist Democrat state senates you're talking about. South Carolina sure as hell doesn't have one. Louisiana's Democrats are basically the same as the Republicans.

Alabama comes to mind. In fact most rural state senate districts in the Deep South are represented by populist Democrats (black and white).


Who on earth told you that?

Someone who, you know, actually lives in Louisiana.

So? That line of arguement is pretty weak you know.

Sure some Democrats in Louisiana are pretty similer to Republicans but it's not true that they all are, as you seem to be claiming.

Weird state though.