Are Virginia, NC, or possibly Georgia even "Southern" states anymore?

[pstokely]

With increasing numbers of educated Yankee transplants? People don't consider Miami or Orlando to be "Southern". Many in Atlanta aren't even from the South.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Yes, they are still southern. But GWB really spoiled it for his party. nt

[Island Blue]

2. I'm from NC, I'm Southern to the core, I'm white

and I proudly voted for Obama. Not all native Southerners are uneducated rubes, you know. That's the first falsehood that needs to die a painful death here on DU.

[ncgrits]

4. You got that right! I am SOUTHERN!

I speak with a Southern accent.
I drink iced tea all year long.
I love NC BBQ.
I am a life-long Democrat.
And I worked for, donated to, and voted for BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA in NORTH CAROLINA.

[BleedingHeartRN]

14. Word!

I feel the same way. There are ignorant, assbackward, racist people in all 50 states.

[FatDave]

22. And how!

Even Utah is more than 1/3rd democrat. And California is more than a 1/3rd republican.

[Virginia Dare]

21. Southerners have been dealing with racial issues their whole lives..

I think they understand the dynamic much better than northerners.

[LostinVA]

3. Virginia is technically Mid-Atlantic anyway

NOVA and other parts of VA are very "Northern," but alot fo it is still very "Southern." Same with NC. I lived in both places for almost 30 years.

[pstokely]

5. What parts of are still "Southern"?

Falwelland (Lynchburg)

[ncgrits]

8. Lynchburg voted BLUE. eom

[Virginia Dare]

20. Seriously? Dayum....n/t

[LostinVA]

16. I'd say most of what's south of Charlottesville

[genna]

6. Think this way...we can reclaim what being Southern means like liberal not being a dirty word

Transplants do not make a region. They can change the consistency of what is there though.

If you live under the Mason Dixon line, you are Southern. MD and VA are also mid-Atlantic.

[Why Syzygy]

7. I don't know anything about Virginia ..

But, NC and GA will always be Southern. It's their character. People who move there have to adapt a certain amount, transplant. Not the other way around.

[Renew Deal]

10. Western VA is as southern as anywhere.

[Renew Deal]

9. Have you been to those states?

There is no question they are "southern."

[kick-ass-bob]

11. Hey - who the fuck cares?

I thought we were all Americans.

Why are you continuing to pigeon hole people?

[QC]

12. Yeah, 'cause if they are educated they couldn't possibly be Southerners, eh?

Ever heard of the true Scotsman fallacy?

Sorry to disappoint you, but in my part of Florida the northern transplants are mostly knuckledragging right wingers.

Freepers with terrible manners and chainsaw accents. Lovely.

[arewenotdemo]

28. LOL

[mohc]

13. A lot of those transplants are Republicans

Atlanta gets a lot of intra-South transplants that lean left looking for friendlier climates closer to the city. But further out, in the northern arc especially, most of the Yankee transplants are hard core Republicans. One of the reason New England is becoming more and more blue is that the red voters are more likely to be the ones heading down to the red South.

[pstokely]

15. What attracts these red voters (besides the weather)?

nt

[mohc]

23. Lower taxes mostly

Counties like Forsyth and Cherokee are just crazy red Republican counties and are growing fast. I think there is some desire to move out of the blue North with its higher taxes and generally more liberal society to a more conservative area by these Republican transplants. The shifts we saw in NC and GA last night were mostly to do with increased African American turnout and the youth vote. If we can make a play for white independents in these states, we might be able to secure these states as blue states for a long time to come.

[pstokely]

25. Where are they coming from?

Once Reliably red areas like Long Island or Upstate NY?

[Zech Marquis The 2nd]

17. I assume so

I still love my biscuts, grits, sweet ice tea (alhough I'll take it hot too), don't even touch my BBQ unless you're making it ;evilgrin: And YES, I was born right here in Virginia:bounce:

at the same time, it's not the old south anymore--omg it;s much more diverse and open minded! let's call it "the new south":-)

[RebelOne]

18. I'm in the Atlanta area and I'm a transplanted Floridian from Miami.

I always considered Miami to be the deep South when I lived there even though I didn't know many people who were actually born there.

[Virginia Dare]

19. The rural areas, yes, the urban areas, very transient. and racially diverse..

the repubs just haven't kept up with the times...and I'm very thankful for that.

[kwolf68]

24. Yes but

Arlington County and Fairfax County by themselves basically gave Obama the election. The Republican Counties just don't have many people in them.

I was VERY disapointed with my county (Fauquier) as I saw lots of Obama signs and felt a general positive vibe about our chances here, but it went 56-42% for McCain. I mean we're ONLY 45 miles from Washington DC.

[kenny blankenship]

26. NC & Virginia may be escaping the Confederate concentration camp

but we're still snared in the barb wire down here in GA.

[seabeyond]

27. texas dems won dallas, austin, houston, el paso, san antonio. ALL the major cities

that says something.

[pstokely]

29. don't they always

nt

[book_worm]

30. I'm from WI but I find this an offensive post. As if only Northern transplants can be educated?

[trudyco]

31. Well they are becoming more urbanized - a couple of big cities

with lots of people in them, and those cities tend to become "enlightened" LOL they become blue. I think this is a trend for every state in the USA (except maybe a few Western and southern interior states - perhaps their cities haven't grown enough? Maybe Rush Limbaugh has extra broadcasting power there?)

Also, the power of minorities - they are coming onto their own.