Politics in Flux: the Georgians Behind the Republicanization of the South
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Politics in Flux: The Georgians Behind the Republicanization of the South DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Mindy J. Farmer Graduate Program in History The Ohio State University 2011 Dissertation Committee: Susan M. Hartmann, Advisor Kevin Boyle Paula Baker Copyright by Mindy J. Farmer 2011 Abstract This dissertation examines the Republicanization of Georgia, 1948-1984, through the lens of three Georgian counties that exemplify the key social and economic divides that permeate the South. Pierce and Hancock are both rural, agricultural counties, with economies and, up until the last five years, populations in a steady decline, but while Pierce County’s citizens are primarily white, Hancock County’s are solidly African American. In comparison, DeKalb County, which contains a portion of the Atlanta metropolitan area, has steadily become more ethnically, racially, and economically diverse with Atlanta’s growth. In 1948, both Pierce and Hancock were part of the Democratic Solid South. Today, in state and national elections, Pierce votes solidly Republican and Hancock solidly Democratic, while for local offices Pierce, like Hancock County, continues to vote Democratic. In DeKalb, just as it was in 1948, neither party can claim a definitive hold on the electorate. I argue that that race and class are so intertwined in the story of the South’s realignment that the role of each is key to understanding the local voters’ decision to change their political party. In keeping with the timeline of those who criticize the myth of southern exceptionalism, I show how the Republican party emerged in DeKalb County the 1940s as a class-based institution introduced by postwar transplants. Yet, its success was fleeting, especially as race grew more important for both liberals and conservatives as the civil rights movement grew more successful and increasingly ii challenged the status quo. My study captures the intense confusion as the sands shifted beneath the feet of the Georgia traditional political structure. I examine the choices that the state parties made as they struggled to define their positions and, as importantly, how the electorate reacted to these decisions. And, I show how the conservatism first espoused by Barry Goldwater in 1964 evolved into a political platform acceptable to the economic conservatives in Georgia’s urban centers as well as the white rural areas that were once the most powerful part of the Solid South such as Pierce County. I also illustrate how the Republican party strained to find viable, strong candidates even in areas where voters were the most open to their ideas. In contrast, I show how issues of race, above all else, guided the decisions of Hancock, and I demonstrate how the confusion of the times undermined any hopes of party loyalty during this period of partisan realignment. iii Dedication For Mariah Hudson Dula who keeps me sane and Makayla Jo Keen who keeps me happy. iv Acknowledgments First and foremost I am grateful to Uncle Scott, Aunt Lisa and my cousins Les and Macie Farmer for allowing me to stay in their home in DeKalb over many months of research. In their honor and for all of my Atlanta friends, I would like to share my secret, no fail recipe for peach cobbler. First, melt one entire stick of butter in large casserole dish in a 350 degree oven. Meanwhile, combine one cup each of sugar, milk, and flour and, once the butter has completely melted carefully pour the batter into the dish. Immediately, and again very carefully, add two to three cups of sliced fresh peaches on top of the batter mixture. Cook at least 35 minutes or until it smells irresistible and looks delicious. If you have any problems, please call or, better yet, join me on the beach for a demonstration. I must also thank the many helpful professionals I encountered at Emory University, the Atlanta Public Library, West Georgia University, the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, the Decatur Public Library, the Georgia State Archive, the Milledgeville Public Library, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, the DeKalb County History Center, the Hancock Public Library, and, last but not least, the Pierce County Public Library. My experience at each institution irrefutable proved just how friendly, welcoming, and wonderful Georgians can be. These research trips were funded in part by a College of Humanities Small Research Award, the Robert Bremner v Award, an Alumni Grant for Graduate Research, the Coca Cola Women Who Make a Difference Award, and the John Foster Dulles Award from the Department of History. I am also beholden to the many people who offered encouragement and guidance along the way. I could not have done this without my graduate school cheering squad, especially Mariah Hudson Dula, Glenn Kranking, Ursula Gurney, Lindsey Patterson, and each of my classmates in Susan Hartmann’s seminars. I also must thank my friends and colleagues at the University of Dayton for their support during my brief, but wonderful tenure there. Likewise, I am grateful to my colleagues at the Nixon Library, including Summiya Ilyas, Michael Koncewicz, Pamla Eisenberg, and Sara Gomez, for their kindness throughout this process. And, of course, I must thank Tim Naftali for never failing to lend an empathetic ear even as we fought the good fight. Finally, I would like to thank my committee, Kevin Boyle, Paula Baker, David Stebenne and my advisor Susan Hartmann for their sound advice and encouragement and my family—even my little sister Melanie—for loving me even in my most boring moments. vi Vita 2001................................................................B.A. History, Western Kentucky University 2003................................................................M.A. History, Western Kentucky University 2003-2008 .....................................................Graduate Teaching Associate, Department of History, The Ohio State University 2008-2009 .....................................................Lecturer, Department of History, University of Dayton 2009 to present ..............................................Education Specialist, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum Fields of Study Major Field: History vii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………..v Vita .................................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... x Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: The Day the Democratic Party Died: Georgians React to the Dixiecrat Revolt ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 2: “No Place to Go”: The Rise of the Georgia Republicans, 1948-1964 ............ 52 Chapter 3: The Cost of Principles: Parties Adapt and Voters Rebel, 1966-1968 ........... 87 Chapter 4: After the Dark Days, a Light at the End of the Tunnel: Georgia Republicans in the Seventies ............................................................................................................... 119 Epilogue: 1984 and Beyond ............................................................................................ 166 Bibliography ................................................................................................................... 176 viii List of Tables Table 1: 1948 Election Results ......................................................................................... 48 Table 2: 1940 and 1950 Census ........................................................................................ 51 Table 3: 1980 Election Results ................................................................................... ....163 ix Introduction This topic was born out of a personal mystery. I come from family of proud conservatives, devout evangelicals, and rural farmers. At the voting booth, they consistently select Republicans for every national and state election. They are social conservatives, who are vocally pro-choice and pro-family; supporters of “True Love Waits,” a Southern Baptist organization that teaches abstinence before marriage; and regulars at “See You at the Pole,” an annual gathering of Christian teens who meet to pray before school around the campus flagpole to demonstrate their support for school prayer. As hardworking, small business owners, they resent paying taxes for programs that benefit “welfare moms,” illegal immigrants, and any social group they believe get a free ride at their expense. And, as they dutifully struggle to balance the books, they are deeply troubled by the federal government’s growing deficit. They are, in short, textbook modern conservatives, minus one significant caveat—they are registered Democrats. They have to be. In my small hometown of Franklin, Kentucky, like so many rural southern communities, most local races are decided in the Democratic primaries. As a historian,