South and the Transformation of U.s. Politics

This book describes and analyses the major transformations of southern politics of the past half century that have had a profound impact on national politics and government. Beginning with the tumultuous events of 1968 and Richard Nixon's "southern strategy", the authors show how, over the next half century, the South has been transformed by massive changes in demographics, race, partisanship, and by growing religious conservative activism, culminating in both rising
progressive Democratic Party gains in some southern states and also the unlikely election of Donald J. Trump as president with near solid southern support.

About the author

Charles S. Bullock, III, is the Distinguished University Professor of Public and International Affairs, holds the Richard B. Russell Chair in Political Science, and is Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Georgia. In 2005 and 2009, he was a senior fellow at Oxford University's Rothermere American Institute.

Susan A. MacManus is Distinguished University Professor Emerita at the University of South Florida. Beginning with the 2016 presidential election cycle, she has been the political analyst for WFTS-TV (ABC Action News, Tampa). She is the author of numerous publications on politics and history, and also serves on the UF Bob Graham Center For Public Service Council of Advisors and on the Board of Directors of the Florida TaxWatch Center for Florida Citizenship.

Jeremy D. Mayer is Associate Professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. He has written books and articles on diverse topics such as race and

presidential campaigns, public opinion toward torture, presidential image management, Christian right politics, federalism and gay rights, and comparative political socialization.

Mark J. Rozell is the founding dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government, and the Ruth D. and John T. Hazel Chair in Public Policy at George Mason University. He is the author of numerous published studies on various topics in U.S. government and politics, including the presidency, religion and politics, southern politics, and interest group politics.

Summary

A strong case can be made that the South has had the greatest impact of any region on the transformation of U.S. politics and government. Since 1968, we have seen the demise of the "solid (Democratic) South" and the rise of the Republican-dominated South; the rise of the largely southern white evangelical religious right movement; and demographic changes that have vastly altered the political landscape of the region and national politics. Overriding all of these changes is the major constant of southern politics: race.

Since the 1990s, the Republican Party has dominated politics in the Southern United States. Race relations were a large factor in this shift that began about a half century ago, but nonetheless, race and demographic change are once again realigning party politics in the region, this time back toward an emergent Democratic Party.

Membership in the Southern Democratic Party is majority African American, Latino, and Asian, and rapidly expanding with an influx of immigrants, primarily Latino. While race continues to shape politics in the region, population growth is, as this book argues, the major factor affecting politics in the South. In fact, the populations of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia have grown more rapidly than the population of the nation as a whole over the past half century--and each of these states has gained at least one seat in Congress. These growth states are the ones in which populations are diversifying, economies are surging, and Democrats are making headway. They, along with Florida and Texas, are also among the most competitive states with the largest numbers of Electoral College votes in the region. It is likely, therefore, that among the key battlegrounds for determining the presidency will be the southern states with the fastest growing populations. This will especially be the case once the Latino population in Texas mobilizes. This book describes and analyzes the ways in which demographic change has shaped politics in the South since the late 1960s and may enable the Democratic Party in the future to re-take politics in the region, and even shut out Republicans from the nation's highest office.

Additional text

In 1949, V.O. Key described a South that was ruled by white conservatives, whichneeded democracy, and which held the prospect for pluralist politics. Three generations later, the South is dramatically transformed as blacks and Hispanics enter politics; the cities and suburbs hold ample political power; the economy of the region diversifies and booms; and, still, yet, conservatives dominate the politics and we continue to ponder whether democracy in the South is to be had, or earned. This book needs to sit on the desk of every student of American politics, because the past still ain't even past in the South.

Product details

• Authors: Charles S. Bullock, Bullock Charles S., Susan A. MacManus, Jeremy D. Mayer, Mayer Jeremy D., Mark J. Rozell, Rozell Mark J.
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.11.2019
• EAN: 9780190065911
• ISBN: 978-0-19-006591-1
• No. of pages: 200
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; POLITICAL SCIENCE / Comparative Politics, Comparative Politics, Elections & referenda, Elections and referenda / suffrage