Why do the South and the Northeast vote the opposite way?

[FerrisBueller86]

In the old days, the Northeast was a Republican stronghold while the South was a Democratic stronghold.  1964 was the beginning of an era in which the parties swapped these two regions.  (Of course, 1976 was a strange election that I think was the last gasp of the old era.)

Why is it that the South and the Northeast vote for opposing parties for president with the very biggest landslides as the only exceptions?

[PBrunsel]

The two major parties changed their views. 1964 was the realigning election really.

[ilikeverin]

1`97645?!?

Wow, most outrageous spelling of the year award goes to... PBRUNSEL because I cannot understand what year he is trying to say.

(John is unincluded in Most Outrageous Spelling of the Year for competition reasons)

[Alcon]

The two major parties changed their views. 1`97645 was the realigning election really.

Not as much as 6`3643G.

[A18]

The two major parties changed their views. 1`97645 was the realigning election really.

This is a myth. The parties did not just switch platforms.

Look at Calvin Coolidge's performance in the northeast. He got 78% in Vermont. Is John Kerry another Calvin Coolidge?

No, that's nonsense. Calvin Coolidge and George W. Bush have much more in common. The reason the northeast started going Democrat is beyond me, but it isn't because the parties switched platforms.

And yes, 1964 was the first election in which the deep South legitimately voted for a Republican candidate, because it became the States' Rights party. But the real realignment occured under Eisenhower -- South Carolina went for Stevenson, but only by 2%! Just two elections ago, this State had gone 87% for Roosevelt!

[PBrunsel]

1`97645?!?

Wow, most outrageous spelling of the year award goes to... PBRUNSEL because I cannot understand what year he is trying to say.

(John is unincluded in Most Outrageous Spelling of the Year for competition reasons)

Dang my keyboard! It is broken.

Every time I press  "4" a 45 pops up. To get "4" I must backspace. This gores for most letters and numbers.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

They may vote differently but only the south has been correct 90% of the time

[A18]

They may vote differently but only the south has been correct 90% of the time

No way. Wilson, FDR?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

They may vote differently but only the south has been correct 90% of the time

No way. Wilson, FDR?

You don't like Wilson? He was born in Virginia, got us into a war, and didn't like blacks.

[KEmperor]

The Northeast and the South have been feuding with each other since the nation was founded.  It's not about to change now.

[skybridge]

They may vote differently but only the south has been correct 90% of the time

That's one of the least true things I have ever heard! It's more like 0% of the time.

[minionofmidas]

They may vote differently but only the south has been correct 90% of the time

That's one of the least true things I have ever heard! It's more like 0% of the time.

Same question as to TN: What about Carter, Wilson and FDR?
Also, Upper South or Deep South? They disagreed on Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy...and Clinton.


-Edited to include Carter-

[Redefeatbush04]

I don't know, but the same areas accusing John Kerry of being communistic voted heavily for FDR , and the same areas accusing Bush of being jingoistic voted heavily for Lincoln. The democratic areas of 1896 were the republican careas of 1996 and vice-versa. I guess they just don't like each other. Northerners view southerners as slow, stupid, and racist. Southerners view northerners as elitist and godless

[KentonNgo]

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Does it nader?