I think that if Democrats were a bit more moderate on abortion (supporting only in life-threatening, malformations, maybe rape and incest), they'd be a lot more competitive in South. Mississippi showed that South isn't so fanatical pro-life as we believed that. Problem is that kinds of Boxer will veto this. Nature of Democratic coalition will bar another changes like in affirmative actions (although economical questions can hold a control of black vote by decades), immigration and same-sex marriage. If Democrat were more in line of Marcy Kaptur than Jackie Speier, they'd be a lot more popular in South.
You can't just add the South to the Dem coalition. Whatever gains made will be offset by losing wealthier liberal voters. Democrats should be more like Boxer and Speier, less like Kaptur. I'm fine with ceding the fundie vote to Republicans, it is the only way socially liberal policies have a chance.
