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Whistling Past Dixie, Tom Schaller

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Tom Schaller is an associate professor of political science specializing in the U.S. electoral system. His latest book, Whistling Past Dixie: How Democrats Can Win Without the South, argues that religion and race have already swung the South irrevocably to the GOP and "values voters." Schaller advises the Democrats to focus on the Midwest and Interior West states, made more receptive to Democratic messages thanks to pocketbook issues and changing demographics. According to Schaller, Dixie began as a conventional wisdom-challenging conversation with a former graduate school colleague. "He said, so matter-of-factly, that the Democrats could win without the South," said Schaller. "I thought about it a lot, started looking at the historical numbers and the more recent data, and realized the case could be made--and made easily." Schaller traveled to five states - part of what he calls the "Democratic Diamond": Ohio, Wisconsin, Montana, Colorado and Arizona - plus South Carolina, to research the book.

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