They never voted for a Republican until Barry Goldwater ran in 1964 and opposed the Civil Rights bill.And always were Dem or Pub notwithstanding...the political evolution of those regions goes way beyond party affiliation.
Goldwater also challenged his party's moderate to liberal wing on policy issues. He supported the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960 and the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution but opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, disagreeing with Title II and Title VII.