1974 and 1986 were both strongly Democratic years and, needless to say, further back in the transition of conservative Dems into the Republican party.
And if anything, proof that the idea of 'strongly Democratic years' is perhaps less meaningful than some think it is.
I think we can all agree that drawing contemporary lessons from Southern elections and legislatures from the 1970s, 1980s, and even much of the 1990s is inherently problematic. Looking at elections before the year when Rick Perry chaired Al Gore's campaign as a model for 2010 is tough to defend, objectively.
