As progressives it's important that we learn and perfect the art of "divide and conquer."

That's exactly why I wonder whether forming a party not labeled "Democrat" might create enough of an opening for some of the factions you listed to break ranks with the GOP.

Thanks for the post. There does need to be thought as to what can be done to get Blount Countians to progress past the 20th, if not the 19th, century. Having lived here for ten years, one way I see something happening is to appear to be a liberal/progressive Republican. They just don't like Democrats around here. Another way is to import more people not from around here.

It's like those lyrics in the John Prine song, "Voted for Eisenhower 'cause Lincoln won the war."

Grandpa was a Carpenter

(link...)

I've written about that song here in connection with my Grandaddy Bean, whose father fought for the Union and who was the purest Lincoln Republican you'd ever have had the privilege of meeting.

Good post. Ties in with what Rikki was saying about third-parties. I like that idea. Or maybe non-partisan local elections for county and municipal offices.

Regarding the categories of Blount Republicans, maybe another one is "budget watchdogs" (a/k/a "low tax"). Jim Folts comes to mind. For a while he seemed to be popular with local Dems, and there was some common ground on the Sheriff's office, spending, waste, and possible abuse. Then he ran as a Republican for county commission unopposed. Not sure what that means, but I'm always wary of "infiltrators."

As for the third-party solution, Howard Kerr was a good example. He ran as an independent, but stood in our house and told us he was the only "real" Republican on the ticket. I voted for him anyway, because if you look at his positions he's pretty progressive for East TN on a lot of issues. But the local GOP apparatus apparently doesn't like him.

I'm not sure how the mechanics of "divide and conquer" would work.

Elrod, this is a great post. I have always heard that Blount County was a Union enclave within the state of Tennessee, and thus Republican. But, what do you make of the impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on the party make-up of Blount County? Much of the South switched party horses at that time. Did it make a difference in Blount County?

[as an aside, it's sort of interesting how the Appalachian parts of NW Georgia & N. Alabama voted 'Southern' in the mid- to late- 19th century, but became comparatively non-Democratic for about 50 years from 1900 to the end of WWII, then switched back to 'Southern' after that period. Not quite sure what explains that.)

Could of been Victor Ashe..but not sure..but somebody said..Goldwater's problem around here was his threat to sell TVA.

Just another aside, but it's worthy of note that a Civil War era Republican, or for that matter a Reconstruction era Republican, was an entirely different species than that which characterizes the party today. (In fact, we might even take that argument right up to 1948, albeit less emphatically.)

LVG

Bewildered,bewildered, you have no complaint,
you are what you are,and you aint what you ain't
So listen up buster and listen up good
stop wishin for bad luck and knocken on wood

As progressives it's important that we learn and perfect the art of "divide and conquer.

That's exactly why I wonder whether forming a party not labeled "Democrat" might create enough of an opening for some of the factions you listed to break ranks with the GOP.

So if I understand this right, people in Blount County are too stupid to like any progressive ideas so the next best thing is too get them to hate each other & then lie to them about who you are? Hey, why not? It worked in the presidential election.

Is one of the coolest lyrics..ever!

But,IMO,"Voted for Eisenhower 'cause Lincoln won the war." is no longer true.

Because the Party formerly known as the Party of Lincoln..
has become the Party of Reagan.

Goldwater's run for president,in '64,was the first step
in the 30 year march of Reagan replacing Lincoln as the icon
of the Republican Party.

In '66 Reagan was elected governor of California.
Was re-elected in '70.

Ran for president in '68,'76,'80 & '84.

From the time Reagan gave his Goldwater tv speech,in '64,till he left the presidency,in January of '89;Reagan Republicanism spread like kudzu.

The '94 Republican Revolution was the nail in the coffin
for Prine's lyric "Voted for Eisenhower 'cause Lincoln won the war."

'Cause Lincoln was out & Reagan was in.

The Republicans were,as of '94,the Party of Reagan.

Reagan Republicanism's roots,in the south,were the Dixiecrat Neo-Republicans that supported Goldwater in '64.

All over south,led by the king of the Dixiecrats,Strom Thurmond,good ole boy Democrats switched to the Republican Party.

And those good ole southern boys didn't cotton to belonging to a Party's whose theme was:"Voted Republican 'cause Lincoln won the war."!

The first campaign I volunteered for was Hal Suit's 1970 run for governor,down in Georgia.

Suit was the news director of WSB-TV in Atlanta.
Had a Sunday show called "Hal Suit..Insight."

Suit was a Chamber of Commerce Republican.

Our opponent for the Republican nomination was Jimmy Bentley,
been elected to one of the statewide offices,a few times.

Bentley was one of those good ole boy Democrats that
had switched Parties.

No way Suit,this hot shot tv boy from Atlanta,could win over Bentley,a fellow that had been winning campaigns for a decade.

In the first Republican Primary for governor of Georgia,
Suit defeated Bentley.

I don't think a Chamber of Commerce candidate,like Suit,has won a Republican Primary in Georgia since then.

I digress.

In Middle & West Tennessee the roots of Republicanism
are grounded in the Dixiecrat Neo-Republicans of Goldwater '64.

However,here in our neck of the woods,the roots of Republicanism are grounded in ole Honest Abe.

In my lifetime,I believe,Ike & Jerry Ford were the presidents
that best reflected the ideals of East Tennessee Republicanism.

If one watches the spinners of poltical webs on the tv & radio..the
Republican Party is the Party of Reagan.

That maybe true.

But in our neck of the woods,East Tennessee,the Party of
Lincoln is still alive & well.

The modern Tennessee Republican Party started with Howard Baker's run for US Senate in '64.

He lost that one but in'66 ran again.

And unlike many southern states,who elected Dixiecrat Republicans...

In '66,Baker was elected as a birthrite Lincoln Republican.

Alexander & Corker are examples of East Tennessee Republicans
that have carried Baker's torch.

I have tried to defeat Republicans,of all stripes.

But I've always believed East Tennessee Lincoln Republicans
are honorable,decent folks.

"Voted Republican 'cause Lincoln won the war."

Still rings true in the hills of East Tennessee.