George F. Will: Politics After the Reversal
... No one should be allowed to vote until he or she has driven across the country. Why? Because voters should understand the nature of regional differences. Why the regions matter is the subject of a new book, "Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics," by Earl Black and Merle Black, political scientists at Rice and Emory universities, respectively.
The story of American politics in the 20th century was the Great Reversal, with Democrats becoming the party of the North and Republicans the party of the South. In the century after the election of the first Republican president, the GOP remained an entirely Northern institution. In 1960, there was no Republican senator from the South. In 1952, the last time before 1994 that the GOP captured control of the House, it won 51 percent of the seats by winning 65 percent of Northern seats but just 6 percent of Southern seats.
In Bill Clinton's 1992 victory, for the first time in history, the Blacks note, a Democrat won the presidency without carrying the South. In 2000, for the first time, a Republican won the White House while losing the North. Al Gore would have won if he had received any Southern electoral votes. In 2004, Ohio was the only large state George W. Bush won outside of the South. John Kerry won all the Northeast's 117 electoral votes, and 65 percent of the Northern electoral votes. But he needed 70 percent because Bush again won 100 percent of the South's electoral votes. In nine of the 10 elections between 1952 and 1988 (all but 1964), Republicans carried California. Since 1988, they have lost California four times, by an average of 11 percentage points.....
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The story of American politics in the 20th century was the Great Reversal, with Democrats becoming the party of the North and Republicans the party of the South. In the century after the election of the first Republican president, the GOP remained an entirely Northern institution. In 1960, there was no Republican senator from the South. In 1952, the last time before 1994 that the GOP captured control of the House, it won 51 percent of the seats by winning 65 percent of Northern seats but just 6 percent of Southern seats.
In Bill Clinton's 1992 victory, for the first time in history, the Blacks note, a Democrat won the presidency without carrying the South. In 2000, for the first time, a Republican won the White House while losing the North. Al Gore would have won if he had received any Southern electoral votes. In 2004, Ohio was the only large state George W. Bush won outside of the South. John Kerry won all the Northeast's 117 electoral votes, and 65 percent of the Northern electoral votes. But he needed 70 percent because Bush again won 100 percent of the South's electoral votes. In nine of the 10 elections between 1952 and 1988 (all but 1964), Republicans carried California. Since 1988, they have lost California four times, by an average of 11 percentage points.....