Pritzker Fellow Doug Jones on "Can Democrats Ever Compete Again in the South?"

(Current UChicago Students Only)

Monday, November 7

3:30-4:45 PM

The South was once solidly in the camp of the Democratic Party, but what exactly did the Democratic Party of the “Solid South” look like, and was it inevitable that it would give way to the more conservative Republicans? Upon signing the Civil Rights Act in 1964, LBJ famously said “We have lost the South for a generation.” But, while Southern states rarely voted Democratic in presidential elections after that, most states were controlled by Democrats for some time - but no longer. The “Solid South” is now solidly Republican. What were the factors that caused such a shift, and can the pendulum ever swing back? Would Southern states, individually or as a region, benefit more by being more “purple?”

Special Guests: Brandon Jones, Director of Political Campaigns at SPLC; Seth Levi, Chief Program Strategy Officer at SPLC; and Doug Turner, Consultant at EveryVoice

Pritzker Fellows seminars are off the record and open to current UChicago students only. Seating in the IOP Living Room is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

This convening is open to current UChicago students who are compliant with UChicago vaccination requirements and, because of ongoing health risks, particularly to the unvaccinated, participants are expected to adopt the risk mitigation measures (masking and social distancing, etc.) appropriate to their vaccination status as advised by public health officials or to their individual vulnerabilities as advised by a medical professional. Public convening may not be safe for all and carries a risk for contracting COVID-19, particularly for those unvaccinated. Participants will not know the vaccination status of others and should follow appropriate risk mitigation measures.

If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact the Institute of Politics at politics@uchicago.edu.