Changes

===State politics===

===State politics===

[[File:Map of Southern state legislatures and Governors (2015).png|thumb|250px|Political composition of the South in early 2015. As set by the [[mainstream media]], red stands for a GOP trifecta in state government, with darker shades of red showing stronger GOP control in the state government (state legislature and governors' mansions). Purple and very light red (WV) show a divided government, and blue (DE) shows a Democrat-controlled government.]]

[[File:Map of Southern state legislatures and Governors (2015).png|thumb|250px|Political composition of the South in early 2015. As set by the [[mainstream media]], red stands for a GOP trifecta in state government, with darker shades of red showing stronger GOP control in the state government (state legislature and governors' mansions). Purple and very light red (WV) show a divided government, and blue (DE) shows a Democrat-controlled government.]]

From the end of Reconstruction until the 1960s, the [[Democrat Party]] had a consistent and strong hold in the South. This control was so strong that it was termed "The Solid South".<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/solidsouth.html The Solid South?]. ''PBS''. January 30, 2004. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> Despite the inroads made by the Republican Party on the presidential level, the South remained solidly Democrat on the state level through the 1980s, 1990s, and even into the 2000s in several states.<ref>Trande, Sean (September 9, 2010). [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/09/09/misunderstanding_the_southern_realignment_107084.html Misunderstanding the Southern Realignment]. ''Real Clear Politics''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> The Republican Party only became dominant in the state-level in the 2010 elections, when it captured several state legislatures, among many other victories.<ref name="Hamby">Hamby, Peter (December 9, 2014). [http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/03/politics/southern-democrats/ The plight of the Southern Democrat]. ''CNN''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> After the 2014 elections, the GOP controlled every state legislature in the South with the sole exception of the Kentucky State House, in which the Democrats maintained a slim majority.<ref name="Hamby"/> Additionally by 2015, the GOP was dominant in every level of government across the South.<ref name="Hamby"/><ref>Cohn, Nate (December 4, 2014). [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/upshot/demise-of-the-southern-democrat-is-now-nearly-compete.html?_r=0 Demise of the Southern Democrat Is Now Nearly Complete]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> In 2016, the GOP took the Kentucky State House in a landslide, making every legislature in the South GOP-controlled.<ref>Loftus, Tom (November 9, 2016). [http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/kentucky/2016/11/08/control-kentucky-house-up-grabs/93344114/ GOP takes Ky House in historic shift]. ''Courier-Journal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Brammer, Jack & Blackford, Linda (November 8, 2016). [http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article113464563.html Republicans take the Kentucky House after 95 years of Democratic control]. ''Lexington Herald-Leader''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref>

From the end of Reconstruction until the 1960s, the [[Democrat Party]] had a consistent and strong hold in the South. This control was so strong that it was termed "The Solid South".<ref>[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/solidsouth.html The Solid South?]. ''PBS''. January 30, 2004. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> Despite the inroads made by the Republican Party on the presidential level, the South remained solidly Democrat on the state level through the 1980s, 1990s, and even into the 2000s in several states.<ref>Trande, Sean (September 9, 2010). [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/09/09/misunderstanding_the_southern_realignment_107084.html Misunderstanding the Southern Realignment]. ''Real Clear Politics''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> The Republican Party only became dominant in the state-level in the 2010 elections, when it captured several state legislatures, among many other victories.<ref name="Hamby">Hamby, Peter (December 9, 2014). [http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/03/politics/southern-democrats/ The plight of the Southern Democrat]. ''CNN''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> After the 2014 elections, the GOP controlled every state legislature in the South with the sole exception of the Kentucky State House, in which the Democrats maintained a slim majority.<ref name="Hamby"/> Additionally by 2015, the GOP was dominant in every level of government across the South.<ref name="Hamby"/><ref>Cohn, Nate (December 4, 2014). [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/upshot/demise-of-the-southern-democrat-is-now-nearly-compete.html?_r=0 Demise of the Southern Democrat Is Now Nearly Complete]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> In 2016, the GOP took the Kentucky State House in a landslide, making every legislature in the South GOP-controlled.<ref>Loftus, Tom (November 9, 2016). [http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/kentucky/2016/11/08/control-kentucky-house-up-grabs/93344114/ GOP takes Ky House in historic shift]. ''Courier-Journal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Brammer, Jack & Blackford, Linda (November 8, 2016). [http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article113464563.html Republicans take the Kentucky House after 95 years of Democratic control]. ''Lexington Herald-Leader''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> At the gubernatorial level, however, the Democrats retook North Carolina in 2016 when their candidate Roy Cooper, previously the state's Attorney General, defeated GOP incumbent [[Pat McCrory]].<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/05/north-carolina-gov-pat-mccrory-concedes-lost-re-election.html North Carolina Gov. McCrory concedes he lost re-election bid] at Fox News</ref>

==Military==

==Military==