There’s Hope in Dixie

Despite a disastrous 2016, Democrats shouldn’t fear. There’s hope where they least expect it, in the South. To see sustained victory, the Democrats will need to change their wardrobe: swapping the rust belt for the sun belt.

The South is about to explode. An influx of immigrants coupled with economic growth and urbanization will contribute to stark population and GDP growth. This could be a liberal silver bullet. Where else is better for Democrats than diverse cities? Clinton proved this theory possible. In October, Ronald Brownstein explained in The Atlantic,

In the campaign’s final weeks, Hillary Clinton’s position now looks stronger in Florida than in Ohio; in Virginia than in Wisconsin; and in Colorado and even North Carolina than in Iowa.

In the end, Clinton carried Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, and Maryland. She also saw remarkable gains in big cities throughout the South. It wasn’t enough to quell GOP victories in the Midwest, but it could be in coming elections.

Johnson was right, the Democrats lost the South for a generation. But the generation has passed, and an electoral realignment may again be imminent.

This article was originally published on arguschronicle.org.