For several years right here in this forum, I've been posting about how it was time for the Republican party (nationally) to pick up on the success of the party in the deep South.
The reason that Republicans have turned the South around by 180 degrees during the last thirty years is due to white Southerners' awareness of "racial reality" (in politics) moreso than whites elsewhere.
Because of the high concentration of blacks in the Southern states, and because of blacks' overwhelming support of the democrat/communist party, whites (even middle-of-the-roaders) comprehend that the only realistic strategy they have is to vote Republican, or else face rule by the democrat/communists -- and blacks.
Thus, the NEW "solid south".
One can call the rose by any name one chooses, but in truth this constitutes the emergence of "white identity politics" in the Southland.
I recall that when I first posted about this a few years ago, I was attacked for saying so, by those (they're still here) who proclaimed that the success of the Republican party lay in courting the Hispanic (and black) votes, and NOT by trying to gather in more whites.
And then came the election of 2016.
Trump won because of "the white vote". In states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin (and even up in that single Congressional district in Maine), this is what made the difference, what turned the tide.
It can continue to work for the Pubbies in elections yet to come.
Unless they try to shuck it off.
Then... they'll go back to losin' ...
