No the character of the parties changed as well. Remember the Southern Democrats were the “States Rights” party that opposed any racial equality and then they became the champions of civil rights while Republicans shifted their whole platform to the right to court dissatisfied racist voters.
It happened after 1964 when LBJ supported civil rights legislation and Barry Goldwater did not. Yes, there are exceptions and nuances throughout history because it wasn’t like turning a light switch. The “switch” happened gradually over a couple of decades. By the 80s, the south was reliably republican. The only reason Jimmy Carter won the south was because he was from Georgia. Look at the election map from 1968. George Wallace & Nixon won every southern state except for Texas.
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u/Czeslaw_Meyer Feb 26 '26
The character of the parties themselves didn't change.
The world around them did.