Originally posted by Teallaura
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Arizona, his home state
The rest were deep south state, and stronghold of the old Dixiecrat party: Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The white areas which Goldwater did poorly in were the northern counties which historically leaned Republican, and were the base of support for the "post office Republicans"! They were irate over Goldwater's refusal to support the plan to move TVA back to Muscle Shoals and bring jobs and development.
The tide had started to turn, the civil rights had gained enough momentum among moderates and progressives in both parties. But is was the Democrat politicians who demonstrated the courage to push them radical and progressive idea of rights applied universally. The Democrat party, and the voter support, was split into two camps.
Voters who supported civil rights had to chose the party, and the candidates, where the push for rights and related issues came from. It was the Dem Party which forced those issues, in spite of the large contingent of racist Dems.
1948 was a watershed year, the Democrat Hubert Humphrey made the speech at the Democrat convention which split the party. Eleanor Roosevelt became the face of establishment "elitists" in support of civil rights. Truman's push for civil rights eroded support in the election.
Yes, the irony is that many of the civil rights campaigners were racist, such as LBJ, Truman, etc. But they pushed ahead with a civil rights agenda.
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