Wallace-voting areas perception of the 2 others

[DonnaSummer]

In the 1968 George Wallace voting areas of the country what were the common perceptions of the other 2 candidates, especially Nixon?

Also, though Wallace was much less of a force in the North he showed some support in all parts of the nation, for instance still getting like 3 or 4% in ....say, Maine.
Who were these people, in a 'typical' sense?
(Meaning who were the Wallace-votes in sharply non-Wallace areas?

[jokerman]

In the north they were typically conservative suburbanites, their two main concerns being rejecting the counterculture of the vietnam era and also protesting forced busing.  They would have probably otherwise voted for Nixon.

Wheras, in the South I would imagine these chiefly rural voters would have voted for Humphery.

[True Democrat]

In the north they were typically conservative suburbanites, their two main concerns being rejecting the counterculture of the vietnam era and also protesting forced busing.  They would have probably otherwise voted for Nixon.

Wheras, in the South I would imagine these chiefly rural voters would have voted for Humphery.

I've also heard that Wallace got significant support from socially conservative economically liberal union members in the North.  I think these voters would have otherwise voted Humphrey.

[Cubby]

The closer to the Canadian border you get, the lower Wallace's percentages are. For example, he got roughly 15% in some Southern New Jersey counties but under 2% in most Maine counties.

There seemed to be a direct correlation between the local black population and the Wallace vote. Places with few blacks outside the South didn't vote for Wallace no matter how conservative they were.

Another example is Lake County, Indiana (home to the notorious city of Gary) went 16.4% for Wallace, vs. the IN average of 11.5%. Lake County had the largest black population in the state. How else can you explain a large, urban, Northern county voting strongly for a segregationist?

[gorkay]

One explanation is that, wherever you have a significant black population, you have significant numbers of white racists who will vote for people like Wallace.

[NewFederalist]

One explanation is that, wherever you have a significant black population, you have significant numbers of white racists who will vote for people like Wallace.

Wait a minute. They may not be the racists you think. Many union members (mostly in the North) who found themselves potentially losing their jobs while black workers with less seniority got to keep theirs due to affirmative action rules were attracted to Wallace. Race is an unfortunate part of the calculation but try to think about the folks who were having their jobs on the line. I fully understand that black workers had been discriminated against and were given some protection to attempt to right past wrongs but if you were trying to feed your family you might find the Wallace message attractive with no regard to segregation. I am not defending Wallace's standing in the school house door or anything like it. I can just understand how a white union member might feel and he was not hearing anything from Nixon nor Humphrey to make him feel better.

[DonnaSummer]

There was affirmative action in 1968?

[NewFederalist]

There was affirmative action in 1968?

Actually, I believe it began in the Kennedy Administration.

[Cubby]

One explanation is that, wherever you have a significant black population, you have significant numbers of white racists who will vote for people like Wallace.

Wait a minute. They may not be the racists you think. Many union members (mostly in the North) who found themselves potentially losing their jobs while black workers with less seniority got to keep theirs due to affirmative action rules were attracted to Wallace. Race is an unfortunate part of the calculation but try to think about the folks who were having their jobs on the line. I fully understand that black workers had been discriminated against and were given some protection to attempt to right past wrongs but if you were trying to feed your family you might find the Wallace message attractive with no regard to segregation. I am not defending Wallace's standing in the school house door or anything like it. I can just understand how a white union member might feel and he was not hearing anything from Nixon nor Humphrey to make him feel better.

You make a good point.

On another note, I have no explanation for why Wallace broke 20% in several Idaho and Nevada counties. These counties have very small populations and are the Wilderness/Survival type places that got all upset about Ruby Ridge. Maybe its that same white working class anger at play in 1968.

[johnpressman]

Remembering 1968, I believe the majority of  Wallace voters would have gone to Nixon if it had been a two-party race.  Both the Nixon and Wallace voters were protesting the perceived moral decay of the nation, lack of respect for law, etc. etc.  The strong liberal positions of HHH were out of  favor that tumultous year.  America voted for a backlash; represented by Nixon and Wallace. Nixon gains Texas, rest of Wallace States either split or vote for other canidates ala Harry F. Byrd in 1960.   

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Class was a big factor in the '68 election; Humphrey's vote was also strongly class based that year. An interesting aspect of '72 is that a lot of affluent Nixon '68 voters voted for McGovern, while even more blue collar Humphrey voters voted for Nixon.

Btw, the economic policies of Wallace that election were very left wing.

[dazzleman]

I think a lot of Wallace voters were leaning in the same direction as a lot of Nixon voters, only more strongly.

My parents were Nixon voters, and would never have considered voting for Wallace.  But they had the same concerns that motivated many of the Wallace voters -- the rise in crime, decline in respect for law and order, etc.

Both the Wallace and Nixon voters were reacting to the excesses of the 1960s.  Wallace was more populist than Nixon, and his voter profile was probably lower on the economic scale than the Nixon voter profile.

[gorkay]

One explanation is that, wherever you have a significant black population, you have significant numbers of white racists who will vote for people like Wallace.

Wait a minute. They may not be the racists you think. Many union members (mostly in the North) who found themselves potentially losing their jobs while black workers with less seniority got to keep theirs due to affirmative action rules were attracted to Wallace. Race is an unfortunate part of the calculation but try to think about the folks who were having their jobs on the line. I fully understand that black workers had been discriminated against and were given some protection to attempt to right past wrongs but if you were trying to feed your family you might find the Wallace message attractive with no regard to segregation. I am not defending Wallace's standing in the school house door or anything like it. I can just understand how a white union member might feel and he was not hearing anything from Nixon nor Humphrey to make him feel better.

I don't disagree with anything you say, and you make good points. I didn't mean to imply that anyone who voted for Wallace in'68 was a racist, only that it was one possible explanation for his strength in certain areas.