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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsInteresting Australian look at diversity among US whites: ‘Southern White’ as an ethnicity
A while ago, I posted about the supposed capture of the white working class by Republicans, pointing out that the term was being used to refer to those with less than college education. On more traditional measures of class, such as income, the Democrats do much better, though still getting only about half the vote.
In response to this post a number of commenters pointed out that the data was not disaggregated by region, and that the South was anomalous. A couple of things Ive seen recently support this. Heres Charles Blow, reporting that 90 per cent of white voters in Mississippi supported Romney. Kevin Drum observes that Obama won about 49 percent of the white vote outside the South and 27 percent of the white vote in the South. Heres a bit more from The Monkey Cage.
It strikes me that the best way to understand the distinctive characteristics of US voting patterns is to to treat Southern White as an ethnicity, like Hispanic. With that classification each of the major parties becomes an coalition between a solid bloc vote from an ethnic minority and around half the votes of the non-Southern white ethnic majority, which is more likely to vote on class lines. The question then is which ethnic/class coalition is bigger. As in other countries, voting for the more rightwing party is correlated, though not perfectly with higher incomes and (conditional on income) lower education, and to shift according to broader ideological movements.
In the meantime, the demographic trends are favorable. The ethnic population balance is shifting from White Southerners to Blacks, Hispanics and Asians. So, as long as this alignment remains stable and the Democrats continue to gain ground with younger voters in general, the odds shift in their favor.
http://crookedtimber.org/2012/11/16/southern-white-as-an-ethnicity/
Southern whites did vote for Romney at about the same rate (around 70%) that Hispanics and Asians voted for Obama. Non-Southern whites were almost evenly split between Romney (51%) and Obama (49%).
I don't know that that makes Southern whites an 'ethnic group' in any way other than in terms of voting patterns.
Anyway, an interesting take from the outside at what regional differences in white voting patterns looks like to them.
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)morningglory
(2,336 posts)and so on, I feel like I am a different species. When I talk to Southern repubs, I usually feel like I am talking to a stupid git, who is not from this planet. Recently, during the Obama campaign, I was at OFA HQ, and sat next to an older black woman. We had the most wonderful conversation. We could have been lifelong friends. Everything in common. A good connection was there. I am starting to feel that Fox Nooz watchers are an ethnic group. Regarding New Yorkers, when they are of a certain type that is all about clothes, shoes, and being one of the cool people, I just don't relate. I am all into composting. Trying not to impact the planet more than is necessary. My NY sister-in-law acted like she was going to throw up when I crunched up some egg shells and with a banana peeling, dropped them into my flower bed on the way out the door with her. Here in the South, Dems with sense of humor and a generous spirit are in my ethnic group. This is an interesting article. Thanks for posting.
Edited to add that the religiosity in the South is extremely annoying, if the religious person is overbearing and self-righteous.