You can't win the presidency without winning the South, or so the saying goes-but what does ""winning the South"" actually entail? How is the southern electoral landscape distinct? Presidential Elections in the South offers a comprehensive examination of the trends driving election outcomes in the region since 1948. The authors assess the electoral significance of everything from religious conservatism, racial bias, and demographic change to party identification, challenger quality, and nomination rules at the primary level. Each chapter traces the importance of a particular issue over time, then investigates how that issue played out in the 2008 presidential election. Incorporating a thoughtful analysis of overarching themes, the book highlights unique regional dynamics within a broad national context.