Why were Shelby and Rankin counties so Republican before the rest of AL & MS?

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

In the 70s/80s/90s most of AL & MS, including almost all of the rural white counties were still willing to vote Democrat down ballot. However, Shelby and Rankin counties were solidly Republican even back in the 70s. I've read that this was due to economically conservative northern transplants, but is that really true? Or was it cultural/racial reasons?

[Del Tachi]

Republicans are the party of the suburbs.  Rankin and Shelby are the epitome of Southern suburbia.

The first places to make the D-to-R flip in the South were (relatively) educated, affluent suburbs not podunck hick towns who were more steeped in their Dixiecrat history.

[Kyle Rittenhouse is a Political Prisoner]

The first GOP areas in the south were the suburbs. It took a while for rural voters to switch.

[smoltchanov]

The first GOP areas in the south were the suburbs. It took a while for rural voters to switch.

Well, almost. In some cases the first were big cities itself. Though difficult to imagine now - Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Birmingham, Charlotte, Richmond, Memphis, even Jackson, and so on were centers of nascent "Southern Republicanism" in the same time (since 1950th in many cases) when rural areas of these states were still "pristine Democratic"

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The first GOP areas in the south were the suburbs. It took a while for rural voters to switch.

Well, almost. In some cases the first were big cities itself. Though difficult to imagine now - Atalanta, Dallas, Houston, Birmingham, Charlotte, Richmond, Memphis, even Jackson, and so on were centers of nascent "Southern Republicanism" in the same time (since 1950th in many cases) when rural areas of these states were still "pristine Democratic"

Same basic voter type though, they just had not yet moved to the suburbs.

[smoltchanov]

The first GOP areas in the south were the suburbs. It took a while for rural voters to switch.

Well, almost. In some cases the first were big cities itself. Though difficult to imagine now - Atalanta, Dallas, Houston, Birmingham, Charlotte, Richmond, Memphis, even Jackson, and so on were centers of nascent "Southern Republicanism" in the same time (since 1950th in many cases) when rural areas of these states were still "pristine Democratic"

Same basic voter type though, they just had not yet moved to the suburbs.

That's true.

[jimrtex]

County boundaries can act as  filters.

Shelby County is on the interstate coming south out of Birmingham. It is outside the valley, and receives less pollution from the steel mills. It represents a fresh start. People before WWII didn't have much money, and this was even more true in The South. You get a white collar job and move to the city. But you have enough money for a car, and can afford a new house, likely quite modest, but better constructed. Wood rots. Wood in the South rots faster. A small cottage in Birmingham is expensive to maintain. You can't live in your parents house, because they're still living in it, its not in Birmingham, and there would be in-law friction.

You build new houses, and schools, and churches, and stores follow. Eventually doctors and dentists, and office parks. You don't have to be a Democrat to run for local office, since you don't have to advance out of the Democratic primary.

Rankin is similarly situated with respect to Jackson. It is across the Pearl River on the interstate traveling east. After an area has flooded several times, people get an idea not to rebuild there. There would be narrow bridges across the river, better than a ferry, but just. All of a sudden there are modern interstate bridges, and you can be home in Rankin County in 5 or 10 minutes.

[darklordoftech]

Down-ballet Democrats in the South were Manchin types, so the only difference between the parties down-ballet was economic issues.

[smoltchanov]

Down-ballet Democrats in the South were Manchin types, so the only difference between the parties down-ballet was economic issues.

Manchin is much more liberal, then many southern Democrats were 40-50 years ago. He would be a sort of "business progressive" by that days standards... Even on economy there was plenty of conservatives among southern Democrats....