robtuck

There is certainly a sub section like that, I'm going Florida Panhandle.

What got him over the line though is the fact that it seems people have lifetime political membership here, so if they are Republican, they have to vote that way regardless. I know a fair few at work who voted for him but hated him, madness. They seem otherwise sensible people, so no idea why they lose their brains at an election. It's not like he remotely stood for anything Conservative and none of them were specifically anti-immigration. He managed to keep enough of those people and sprinkle some frustrated Rust Belters on top who thought he might bring the 1970's back, mixed in with Hilary pretty much offending them all.

Boomhauer

IMHO, a lot of the attraction for Trump in 2016 was the perception by a lot of people of being the anti establishment candidate, a real outsider. This is aside from Trump's popularity for attacking free-trade and the not so subtle signals he gave the right about taking America back to a time when progressive ideals were not entertained by society.

scrubbedexpat099

Exactly, would Reparations have become a major Election issue in less Regressive times?

civilservant

I couldn't be less interested in discussing reparations. How on earth would it be administered? Yes we can establish all the commissions we want to 'look into it' but I don't see it ever happening.

Steerpike

It does seem like election pandering to me.

scrubbedexpat099

Why pander to those who will vote for you anyway?

HDWill

Being conservative/Republican is part of their identity for a lot of people, especially white Southerners. For most 'traditional' conservatives, including religious conservatives, as much as they disliked Trump, they disliked progressive values and policies more. Another big factor of course was the rather deep personal dislike so many had for Hillary Clinton (that's a long story). And the Supreme Court is crucial- many who dislike Trump are elated to have a conservative majority on the Court and the prospect of a supermajority if he wins a second term.

scrubbedexpat099

White Southerners were historically Democrat, the fuss about Biden and Segregationists, they were fellow Democrats.

johnwoo

Democratic before Democrats passed the Civil Rights act 1964. Johnson famously did not say "We have lost the South for a generation" but if he had he would have been right.

scrubbedexpat099

During a fundraising event in New York, the Democratic presidential candidate recounted being a member of the Senate in the 1970s with southern Democrats who opposed civil rights and desegregation. He specifically named Mississippi Sen. James Eastland and Georgia Sen. Herman Talmadge, who Biden called "one of the meanest guys I ever knew."

johnwoo

I think most of us can get along with people that have vastly different views on about everything we believe in. I don't narrow my own friends and associates down to only those that believe as I do. Unfortunately this country and around the world is increasingly tribal, them and us.

HDWill

True. The gradual switching places of the Democratic and Republican parties from the late 19th to late 20th century is complex, and anyone who's not an American history professor would be hard-pressed to describe it cogently. The transition among white Southerners has been complete for a couple decades, and 'Democrat' is a dirty word to many, regardless of policy specifics.

Hiro11

The fuss about Biden is mainly due to him leading the polls.

scrubbedexpat099

This is early days, wait until they get going. And the knives are really out.

Boomhauer

I don't follow.

Dixicrats. They left the Democrat party when the North-East Democrat party apparatus turned against segregation . In response the Republicans enacted the Southern Strategy, pandering to and embracing those opposed to Civil Rights and the resultant societal changes. The Southern Democrats (Dixicrats) did not leave the party, the party left them, so they jumped ship and joined the Republicans. And ever since then the GOP has appealed to the sentiments of these folks , who really don't like the way America changed since the Civil Rights era. So a guy like Trump comes around and promises to take America back, an appealing message to lot of grass-roots supporters.