what happened to the " New South" democrats?

[freepcrusher]

it seems in the 70s and 80s the south was shifting to the republican party because of all the newcomers in the exurbs of some of the metro areas (ATL, Houston etc) and how they were rejecting a democratic party that was seen as rural hayseeds and not modern.

As a result, after the 1974 election a lot of new democrats began filling the southern congressional offices such as Butler Derrick in South Carolina, Wyche Fowler in Georgia and Al Gore in Tennessee. I might add that Zell Miller was in this mold pre-9/11. Unlike the old democrats of the past, these democrats actively courted black voters and maintained good relationships with their black constituents. They had more enlightened views and many supported abortion rights and the ERA. But what set them apart from other democrats is that they didn't necessarily completely embrace the "tax and spend" agenda and often had heterodox views.

It seems like democrats like these did a good job at bridging the gap between their constituents and the national democratic party and they did a good job of preventing republicans from gaining too much ground in the south in downballot races. It seems that beginning around 1992, guys like these began dropping like flies either retiring or losing re-election. 2010 was probably even worse than 1994 with these type of democrats and the democrats are in just as bad a position in the south downballot as the republicans were in the 1980s.

So, my question is what caused the decline in these types of democrats?
Was it that they only delayed the inevitable?
Or was it that many of them were no different from Barney Frank or Henry Waxman and used their charm and occasional conservative votes as a facade?

[Miles]

I think Max Sandlin and Charlie Stenholm would be good examples of this, of course they got the boot in redistricting. They were both rural, but had relatively liberal records. Dale Bumpers and Marl Pryor also come to my mind; they just retired after decades of being Senators/Governors.

[nclib]

I think Max Sandlin and Charlie Stenholm would be good examples of this, of course they got the boot in redistricting. They were both rural, but had relatively liberal records. Dale Bumpers and Marl Pryor also come to my mind; they just retired after decades of being Senators/Governors.

Stenholm was very conservative, to the right of plenty of Republicans, though the others may have been relatively liberal.

[Miles]

I think Max Sandlin and Charlie Stenholm would be good examples of this, of course they got the boot in redistricting. They were both rural, but had relatively liberal records. Dale Bumpers and Marl Pryor also come to my mind; they just retired after decades of being Senators/Governors.

Stenholm was very conservative, to the right of plenty of Republicans, though the others may have been relatively liberal.

Randy Neugebauer makes Stenholm look like Alan Grayson! haha

Ontheissues.com says that Stenholm was basically a populist. They have him on the record as:
- Favoring a more progressive tax system
- Opposing Social Security privatization
- Favoring more federal funding for healthcare

[freepcrusher]

his voting record shifted over the years. From 1979 to 1994, his ACU rating averaged around 77. After the republicans took over in 1994, his ACU rating was around 55. He was always a somewhat conservative democrat but by the end of his career, he became more in line with the national party.

[Miles]

his voting record shifted over the years. From 1979 to 1994, his ACU rating averaged around 77. After the republicans took over in 1994, his ACU rating was around 55. He was always a somewhat conservative democrat but by the end of his career, he became more in line with the national party.

I would think it would be the opposite. It seems like he would become more conservative as his district shifted away from local Dems.

[krazen1211]

Social issues such as homosexuality created problems.

[Miles]

Social issues such as homosexuality created problems.

Yes, I'd also add in racism.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

As New Dems like Bob Graham, Max Cleland, and John Edwards began to come about and started the south in the late 90's to shift away its conservative roots not just gay marriage came about 911 and impeachment of Bill Clinton allowed the GOP regain footing in South and its more traditioinal ways.

[All Along The Watchtower]

The Moral Majority and other members of the Religious Right endorsed Carter in 1976, but, angry with him over a number of issues, endorsed Reagan in 1980. I imagine that was a big factor in the South's shift toward the Republican Party in the 1980s. 

[freepcrusher]

but Reagan had little effect downballot. About 2/3 of the US House members and 2/3 of all the legislatures and a majority of the US Senators in the South were democrats. It wasn't ironically until a southerner himself (Clinton) was in the office that they started experiencing downballot losses.

[Mr.Phips]

but Reagan had little effect downballot. About 2/3 of the US House members and 2/3 of all the legislatures and a majority of the US Senators in the South were democrats. It wasn't ironically until a southerner himself (Clinton) was in the office that they started experiencing downballot losses.

It was actually around between 1952-1972 that Republicans started making some gains downballot in the South.  Before 1952, the South was like 100% Dem.  By 1980, it was around 75% Dem.