The South's New Politics: Realignment and Dealignment examines the important issue of whether the once solid Democratic South is becoming a Republican heartland. President Ronald Reagan's 1980 and 1984 victories in the region raised GOP hopes of a southern voter realignment to the Republican party. Other observers argue that southerners are moving away from both the Democratic and Republican parties, as more and more people call themselves Independents or split their ballots to vote for candidates from both parties.