Beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was a political shift in the United States which saw the Democratic party be taken over by the liberal northern branch of the party and saw the decline of the conservative southern Branch also known as the Dixiecrats. the Dixiecrats were the party of Jim Crow they were the southern Democrats who opposed integration and many of whom belonged to far right extremist groups such as the klu Klux Klan and neo-nazis.
Led by northern Democrats such as JFK, the parties political policies began to reflect more liberal values such as integration and civil rights.
Recognizing this Republican leaders such as Barry Goldwater who was their presidential candidate in 1964, came out in opposition of civil rights. Now they didn't do this because they were card carrying white supremacists or even agreed with those politics. they did it cuz they were politicians and they thought they could win the 1964 election by stealing the southern vote away from the Democrats whose party was becoming more liberal. Their mistake was believing that their party would retain the black vote regardless of what they did. They believed that black voters would still see them as the party of Lincoln that ended slavery, and would not pay attention to them pandering to the same people who were oppressing them at that time. they were wrong and the Democrats were very easily handed the election because of the black vote linden Johnson's outspoken support of civil rights easily allowed him to beat Barry Goldwater.
A good number of southern Democrat politicians attempted to sabotage the election by refusing to support Lyndon Johnson as their candidate and even going as far as promoting votes for Barry Goldwater over their own candidate. This was done for two reasons. The first was Johnson's support of civil rights and opposition to Jim Crow, and the second was out of protest of allowing black voters and politicians to join the Democrat caucus. Several of these southern Democrats, including high-ranking leaders in the party such as Strom Thurmond, who's defected in 1965 following the civil Rights Acts passage and join the Republican party. This was the building block for the modern Republican party that blends the southern Democrats far right social policies with the GOPs original business first economic policies.
It's went so far that by today the parties have pretty much done a complete 180 on social policies with the Republicans now promoting the same policies that the southern Democrats did at that same time, anthemats now being controlled by the liberal northern Democrats almost completely promote the policies of the Republicans originally stood for socially.
Led by northern Democrats such as JFK, the parties political policies began to reflect more liberal values such as integration and civil rights.
Recognizing this Republican leaders such as Barry Goldwater who was their presidential candidate in 1964, came out in opposition of civil rights. Now they didn't do this because they were card carrying white supremacists or even agreed with those politics. they did it cuz they were politicians and they thought they could win the 1964 election by stealing the southern vote away from the Democrats whose party was becoming more liberal. Their mistake was believing that their party would retain the black vote regardless of what they did. They believed that black voters would still see them as the party of Lincoln that ended slavery, and would not pay attention to them pandering to the same people who were oppressing them at that time. they were wrong and the Democrats were very easily handed the election because of the black vote linden Johnson's outspoken support of civil rights easily allowed him to beat Barry Goldwater.
A good number of southern Democrat politicians attempted to sabotage the election by refusing to support Lyndon Johnson as their candidate and even going as far as promoting votes for Barry Goldwater over their own candidate. This was done for two reasons. The first was Johnson's support of civil rights and opposition to Jim Crow, and the second was out of protest of allowing black voters and politicians to join the Democrat caucus. Several of these southern Democrats, including high-ranking leaders in the party such as Strom Thurmond, who's defected in 1965 following the civil Rights Acts passage and join the Republican party. This was the building block for the modern Republican party that blends the southern Democrats far right social policies with the GOPs original business first economic policies.
It's went so far that by today the parties have pretty much done a complete 180 on social policies with the Republicans now promoting the same policies that the southern Democrats did at that same time, anthemats now being controlled by the liberal northern Democrats almost completely promote the policies of the Republicans originally stood for socially.