How did the party of Lincoln become the party of the Confederate flag?
It happened in stages.
Almost every state that voted Republican in 1896 voted Democratic in 2000, while almost every state that cast its ballot for the Democratic candidate in 2000 had voted Republican in 1896. There were states that didn’t trade places. Oregon voted Democratic in both elections, while Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, New Hampshire and Ohio voted GOP in both.
But in general, the states of the Confederacy, rebelling against Lincoln in the Civil War, were solidly Democratic and have become solidly Republican. CONT.
Mark Mellman (Mellman Group), The Hill