Republican hopefuls will have a debate within walking distance of where George Wallace protested the enrollment of Black students at the University of Alabama. The state largely supports Donald Trump. Trump remains the clear favorite to win the 2024 Republican nomination. Alabama’s political trajectory from Wallace to Trump reflects the evolution of the Republican Party from the Party of Lincoln to the Party of Trump.
Trump has argued that he represents everyday Americans. This resonates with conservative strongholds like Alabama long before Trump rose to prominence. Republicans in Alabama and beyond seem to be drawn to the idea of defending their rights. Compare it to Wallace’s slogan of “Stand Up for America.” Trump campaigned in 2016 using the slogan “Make America Great Again,” striking a nostalgic chord with voters.
History professor Wayne Flynt sees a common thread across the eras. Trump, like Wallace, has tapped into voters’ sense of being ignored. Wallace’s resistance to integration and populism echoed in south Alabama. History makes it clear that the divisions in Alabama politics laid the groundwork for Wallace’s rise in the 1960s.
Bill Baxley, who has served in Alabama politics for years, explains that the Republican shift was deliberate, with certain sections of the state favoring more conservative ideologies. The shift from Democratic to Republican dominance was sparked by the signing of Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s.
Wallace became a national figure with his stance against integration. Richard Nixon adopted the “Southern strategy,” talking about law and order and cultural issues similar to Wallace. Reagan employed this in his campaigns in the 80s. Alabama’s electoral votes have overwhelmingly favored Republican candidates since then, except in 1976 when Jimmy Carter, a neighbor from Georgia, won.
Since Wallace’s election in 1982, Democrats have implemented more liberal economic policies. Wallace won over enough Black voters in his final term, and Democrats gained control of U.S. Senate seats.
Another significant shift occurred when Republican Jeff Sessions was elected to the other Senate seat. Sessions was Trump’s early supporter during his 2016 presidential bid. Today, Alabama’s U.S. senators represent different styles of Republican politics, reminiscent of Southern Democrats’ division during Wallace’s time.
All these changes bring us to the present. Senator Tommy Tuberville is a staunch follower of Trump’s ideologies, blocking military promotions in protest of Pentagon policies. Senator Katie Britt is more low-key and representative of conservative Alabama values.
It’s clear that Donald Trump still has a significant impact on Alabama politics.
