Changes

Political parties were in disarray in the late 1850s and were suspended during the Civil War. During [[Reconstruction]], 1863-1877, the dominant [[Republican Party]] was a coalition of Freedmen (freed slaves), [[Carpetbaggers]] (new arrivals from the North), and [[Scalawags]] (white southerners), all supported by the U.S. Army. Violent confrontations led to the collapse of the Republican state governments in the 1870s; the last three fell in 1877.  They were replaced by the [[Redeemers]], conservative white Democrats allied to the [[Bourbon Democrats]] of the North.

Political parties were in disarray in the late 1850s and were suspended during the Civil War. During [[Reconstruction]], 1863-1877, the dominant [[Republican Party]] was a coalition of Freedmen (freed slaves), [[Carpetbaggers]] (new arrivals from the North), and [[Scalawags]] (white southerners), all supported by the U.S. Army. Violent confrontations led to the collapse of the Republican state governments in the 1870s; the last three fell in 1877.  They were replaced by the [[Redeemers]], conservative white Democrats allied to the [[Bourbon Democrats]] of the North.

The Democrats repressed a Populist movement in the 1890s, and dominated every state with rare  exceptions down to 1964.  The "Solid South" as political pundits called it, nearly always supported Democratic prfesidential candidates, except in 1928, 1952 and 1956.

The Democrats repressed a Populist movement in the 1890s, and dominated every state with rare  exceptions down to 1964.  The "Solid South" as political pundits called it, nearly always supported Democratic presidential candidates, except in 1928, 1952 and 1956.

===1964 to 1992===

===1964 to 1992===

Since 1964, the South has been highly competitive. The Solid South began to break down in the 1964 election, when all of the states in the deep south (with the exceptions of Florida and Texas) voted for Republican [[Barry Goldwater]]. President Johnson's homestate, Texas, remained Democratic. In 1965 blacks were given the vote for the first time since the 1890s, and most of them voted Democratic.  In 1968, [[Richard Nixon]] and Independent [[George Wallace]] split the region, with the exception of Texas, which remained Democratic.  

Since 1964, the South has been highly competitive. The Solid South began to break down in the 1964 election, when all of the states in the deep south (with the exceptions of Florida and Texas) voted for Republican [[Barry Goldwater]]. President Johnson's homestate, Texas, remained Democratic. In 1965 blacks were given the vote for the first time since the 1890s, and most of them voted Democratic.  In 1968, [[Richard Nixon]] and Independent [[George Wallace]] split the region, with the exception of Texas, which remained Democratic.  

===1992 to 2008===

===1992 to 2008===

In 1992 [[Democratic]] candidate [[Bill Clinton]] reassembled Carter's coalition and carried Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia in 1992, but lost Georgia in 1996.<ref>http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/elections/maps/></ref> [[George W. Bush]] (2000 and 2004) carried every Southern state including Democratic challenger and incumbent Vice President [[Al Gore]]'s home state of Tennessee.

In 1992 [[Democratic]] candidate [[Bill Clinton]] reassembled Carter's coalition and carried Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia in 1992, but lost Georgia in 1996.<ref>http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/elections/maps/></ref> [[George W. Bush]] (2000 and 2004) carried every Southern state including Democratic challenger and incumbent Vice President [[Al Gore]]'s home state of Tennessee.