If you look at the geographical distribution of the voting in the USA from the mid-1800's to now, it's fascinating. The Republicans began with their strength in the northern states, mostly where the Democrats are strong now. The Democrats were unbeatable in the Deep South. There was a website that showed this on a color chart for each election year, but I'm not sure how to find it now. They have almost totally reversed their geographical areas of dominance by playing various political games and courting various constituencies.

In short, southern reactionaries of the most extreme sort once voted solidly Democratic and did so until the early 60s. They now vote solidly Republican. They abandoned the Democrats en masse over the Civil Rights issue in the early 60's.

Northern intellectuals used to consider the Republican Party their bastion of reason...they now think it's the Democratic Party.

It's hilarious...and kind of sad. The USA is still suffering political fallout from the Civil War, which ended in 1865.

Both parties have pandered (at various times) to the most reactionary forces in the nation in order to secure votes. They have both held the other in contempt for doing so...yet both of them claim to be the voice of reason.

I have my doubts, in either case.