Issues, Ideology, and the Rise of Republican Identification Among Southern Whites, 1982-2000

Authors

  • H. Gibbs Knotts
  • Alan I. Abramowitz
  • Susan H. Allen
  • Kyle L. Saunders

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2374-7781.2005.26.0.291-304

Abstract

The South’s partisan shift from solidly Democratic to leaning Republican is one of the biggest transformations in American political history. This paper explores four explanations for this change: ideological self-identification and issue positions, changes in the ideological makeup of the parties, white southerners becoming more conservative, and conservative racial attitudes. The paper provides strong support for an ideological based realignment and little support for the alternative explanations. Overall, attitudes about the size of government and opinions about defense spending were the issues most highly correlated with partisan identification.

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Published

2005-11-01

Issue

Vol. 26: Fall 2005

Section

Articles

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