I remember in the era of Mondale and Dukakis a lot of people telling me the only time they ever voted Republican was Nixon in 1972. They voted for Mondale and Dukakis, but not McGovern.
True, but my point was the Nixon was the first Republican to go after the so-called mostly white 'blue collar' (or working class if you prefer) workers that had been part of the Democratic base up until then due to their unionism by emphasizing to some degree social issues (opposition to busing, starting 'the war on drugs' years before Reagan (re)started it...), by promoting himself as a cold war hawk and by especially espousing 'law and order.'
In many other ways, Nixon would probably be considered a 'RINO' today and obviously even his 'war hawk' credentials would in some areas be questioned with actions we are all familiar with, just as would Ronald Reagan.
Of course, Eisenhower also received a fair percentage of votes from Democrats, but that was mainly due to his personal popularity and, to a lesser degree, Democratic Party fatigue and was probably not so much based on issues.
Ronald Reagan largely just followed on Nixon's strategy though he obviously added in economics concerns that weren't as big an issue for Nixon given the economy at the time in the late 1960s. So, that is why I say the more accurate term for these largely white blue collar (working class) social conservative former Democrats is 'Nixon Democrats.' and not 'Reagan Democrats.'
Of course, busing wasn't much of an issue by 1980 (I don't believe it was anyway, though it was mentioned in a WKRP episode) but Reagan appealed to (mostly) white working class voters with anti government rhetoric and tax cuts. Interesting that in being 'anti government' Reagan also promised to wage a 'war on drugs' (and crime in general, though not white collar crime) as well as dramatically increase defense spending. In regards to tax cuts, while some tax cuts did go to the white working class, it was at least partly taken away by later increases on payroll taxes.
The implied message of Reagan though was that (white) working class voters shouldn't have to pay taxes to support the 'others.'
"Nixon Democrat" is a rarely used term, but there are some political scientists and U.S historians who use the term and I didn't originate the argument.
Here is one:
https://books.google.ca/books?id=NFT1sAoJyqgC&pg=PT354&lpg=PT354&dq=nixon+democrats+not+reagan+democrats&source=bl&ots=mjit-RErmV&sig=TKy_SX_Nq147bBd06tAUmCRivT4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=46mDVYy-JYHpsQW7-YDoDQ&ved=0CD0Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=nixon%20democrats%20not%20reagan%20democrats&f=falseHere is another who argues they might even be more accurately referred to as "Wallace Democrats"
https://books.google.ca/books?id=53rmOMcKGZ8C&pg=PA243&lpg=PA243&dq=nixon+democrats+not+reagan+democrats&source=bl&ots=gFG6oQhLnV&sig=-7yZnxk2ZtZ8ecDBet9ilddnt_s&hl=en&sa=X&ei=46mDVYy-JYHpsQW7-YDoDQ&ved=0CEAQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=nixon%20democrats%20not%20reagan%20democrats&f=falseWallace in the end only received something like 13% of the vote mostly from southern states, but for awhile he was polling around 30% and had significant support in many midwestern states and even liberal states like Massachusetts.
Gerald Ford it seems according to the second book appealed more to the traditional 'country club' Republicans and may not have gone after the white working class vote, which largely went for Jimmy Carter.