The simple truth is that the Republican Party in the American South is firmly anchored in racism, NOT, in fiscal conservatism, family values, or evangelical Christianity, Prior to 1964, there were so few Republicans in the south that most southern states did not even have Republican primaries. The single triggering event which led to the mushrooming of the Republican party in the South was the passage of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964.

So many southerners were so aggrieved by that action that they switched from being southern democrats to the Republican party. May the Republican party in he American South eventually choke on that fact!!