The Decline of the Solid
Democratic South
Dan Feintuck, Theresa Lindstrand, Ben Yelin
Alabama
% of Senate, Assembly and Governor Controlled by
Democratic Party in Alabama
Alabama
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
2000
1960
1995
1989
1983
1977
1971
1965
1959
0.0%
1995
20.0%
Citizen
Liberalism
1990
40.0%
1985
60.0%
1980
80.0%
State
Government
Liberalism
1975
% of Senate,
Assembly and
Governor
Controlled by
Democratic
Party
1970
100.0%
1965
120.0%
Alabama: % Democrats in Assembly
National Partisan Trends
110.00
100.00%
100.00
90.00%
80.00%
90.00
70.00%
80.00
60.00%
50.00%
70.00
40.00%
60.00
30.00%
20.00%
50.00
10.00%
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
19
69
19
67
19
65
19
63
0.00%
19
61
19
59
40.00
2004
2000
1996
1992
1988
1984
1980
1976
1972
1968
1964
1960
1956
1952
Alabama








GOP in national elections, in-state quagmire
Elections of 1962 and ’64
Renegade Dems: George Wallace takes back AL
Dems hold State Legislature
Dems: Blacks vs. Renegades
GOP: Moderates vs. Far right
Party Switching
Both parties lack centralized headquarters
 High turnover rate within party leadership
South Carolina
% of Senate, Assembly and Governor Controlled by
Democratic Party in South Carolina
South Carolina
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
2000
1960
1995
1989
1983
1977
1971
1965
1959
0.0%
1995
20.0%
Citizen
Liberalism
1990
40.0%
1985
60.0%
1980
80.0%
State
Government
Liberalism
1975
% of Senate,
Assembly and
Governor
Controlled by
Democratic
Party
1970
100.0%
1965
120.0%
South Carolina: % Democrats in Assembly
National Partisan Trends
110.00
100.00%
100.00
90.00%
80.00%
90.00
70.00%
80.00
60.00%
50.00%
70.00
40.00%
60.00
30.00%
20.00%
50.00
10.00%
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
19
69
19
67
19
65
19
63
0.00%
19
61
19
59
40.00
2004
2000
1996
1992
1988
1984
1980
1976
1972
1968
1964
1960
1956
1952
South Carolina




Historically solidly Dem, not anymore
Civil Rights alienate SC Dems; Strom begins crossover
Steady crossover; Congress is split
GOP first to organize, have more specific aims
 bridge to national party, assistance to candidates, spreading of
views
 Moderate vs. Conservatives
 Democrats simply try to beat GOP; organize later
 Racial divide
Mississippi
% of Senate, Assembly and Governor Controlled by
Democratic Party in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi: % Democrats in Assembly
2000
1960
1995
1989
1983
1977
1971
1965
1959
0.0%
1995
20.0%
Citizen
Liberalism
1990
40.0%
1985
60.0%
1980
80.0%
State
Government
Liberalism
1975
% of Senate,
Assembly and
Governor
Controlled by
Democratic
Party
1970
100.0%
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
1965
120.0%
National Partisan Trends
110.00
100.00%
90.00%
100.00
80.00%
90.00
70.00%
60.00%
80.00
50.00%
70.00
40.00%
60.00
30.00%
20.00%
50.00
10.00%
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
19
69
19
67
19
65
19
63
0.00%
19
61
19
59
40.00
2004
2000
1996
1992
1988
1984
1980
1976
1972
1968
1964
1960
1956
1952
Mississippi
 Historically dominated by race and class
 Solidly Democratic until post-war period
 One party system flawed: The Democrats became
divided into factions
 Miss. Freedom Dems vs. Conservative Whites
 State legislature has remained solidly democratic
 Evolved into a GOP state in National Elections
starting in 1964
Georgia
% of Senate, Assembly and Governor Controlled by
Democratic Party in Georgia
Georgia
100.0
120.0%
100.0%
80.0
% of Senate,
Assembly and
Governor
Controlled by
Democratic
Party
80.0%
60.0%
40.0%
20.0%
State
Government
Liberalism
60.0
Citizen
Liberalism
40.0
20.0
2000
1995
1990
1985
1980
1975
1970
1960
1995
1989
1983
1977
1971
1965
1959
1965
0.0
0.0%
National Partisan Trends
Georgia: % Democrats in Assembly
100.00%
110.00
90.00%
100.00
80.00%
70.00%
90.00
60.00%
80.00
50.00%
70.00
40.00%
30.00%
60.00
20.00%
50.00
10.00%
19
99
19
97
19
95
19
93
19
91
19
89
19
87
19
85
19
83
19
81
19
79
19
77
19
75
19
73
19
71
19
69
19
67
19
65
19
63
0.00%
19
61
19
59
40.00
2004
2000
1996
1992
1988
1984
1980
1976
1972
1968
1964
1960
1956
1952
Georgia
 History
 1964 - Civil Rights Act, Barry Goldwater – Republican
 1965 - Voting Rights Act
 1968 - George Wallace – Independent
 Party Organization – 1st half of 20th Century
 Democrats - Not cohesive, Candidate-centered
 GOP - ???
 Party Organization – 2nd half of 20th Century
 Loss of Presidency in 1960
 Death of 1st ever Republican candidate for governor in 1962
 Growth of Republican party in 1980s
 Democrats still lacking cohesiveness
 Party Organization Today
 Republicans - Top-down authority
 Democrats - Authority divided between levels
 Republicans - Lack of candidates for lower-level offices compared
to Democrats
Conclusion
-All were solidly Democratic, now shifting
GOP in national elections
-Strong Democratic Presence within states
-Major factions in state parties
-In all but SC, gov’t is becoming far more
liberal than the people