Is This The Rise of the New South? — South Carolina and Georgia

I heard a joke once — I can’t remember the comedian, I believe it was Michael Che — that had the punchline that it’s hard for black people to care about all of America when we only feel comfortable in a handful of states. As a woman that grew up in Minnesota and Illinois, I can definitively say that this is true in my experience.

Born in the late eighties and raised in the nineties and early two-thousands, I’m a member of what my family calls The Last Generation. Last to play outside, last to have a childhood without social media, etc. I’ve noticed over the last few years that my generation is the last that participated in the time-honored tradition of summer migration. Every black person I know in my age range who grew up in the upper half of the states was forced to visit family members, primarily grandparents, in the deep south every summer.

With all of that being said, one thing that I’ve experienced as soon as I learned to drive was “The Talk.” There are several different versions of this that happen in black families, but this particular talk that my parents had with me was significant because we lived in Illinois. During this conversation, a list of states was laid out to me. States where I should not drive through alone or at night — mostly in the south.

The south has the connotation of being antagonistic to black and brown people. From the KKK to sundown cities, the old south was the boogie man that was in the closet, waiting to get you the moment you stepped out of their preconceived lines.

Over the last few years, with the political and racial climate, I had given up hope on the south and was losing faith in the north.

Enter the 2020 election.

No, not the presidential. The senatorial.

There’s a change happening in the south. For proof of that, look at Georgia and South Carolina.

Full disclosure: I’ve never been a super fan of Lindsey Graham. However, I always did respect how he was able to reach across the aisle in moments that impacted all Americas. These days, Lindsey has definitely changed. Each day there seems to be something new coming out about him — no, I’m not talking about the Lady G rumors floating around.

For years, it was pretty much a given that Lindsey would win unchallenged in South Carolina. Then 2020 happened, and here comes Jaime Harrison. Charismatic, intelligent, and optimistic, Jaime has done something that hasn’t happened in a long time.

Give Lindsey Graham a fight for his senate seat.

Now, let’s take a little trip down to Georgia. This has been a race that my family has been watching closely due to our family ties there. Our roots run deep in Georgia.

Imagine my surprise to see that Jon Ossoff was giving David Perdue a run for his money in the Senate race. Georgia is firmly a red state — part of the big red wall if you will. Most democratic presidents don’t even visit the state as turning it blue was out of reach. Now, with just two days left until the election, there is a chance that Georgia will have its first Democratic senator in over a decade.

So, how did this happen, and what does it mean?

The rise of 2020 Democratic Senate hopefuls is linked to many factors, but I think we can all agree that COVID has a lot to do with. Not just the ramifications of the pandemic but the effect of the quarantine. For most of this year, we have been sequestered in our homes. After binging everything on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon — and in my case, Crunchyroll — we were all left with one thing to watch. The news.

Unlike past election years, politicians had a locked-in audience. In the past, if you were like me, you’d catch the highlights on late-night television, SNL, and Twitter. Once in awhile, I’d turn on Sirius XM and listen to the news. I was aware of politicians and their general policies. Today, I’m completely immersed. As are many Americans.

The issue with the incumbents Lindsey Graham and David Perdue is that we are judging them based on their handling of the pandemic, their policies, and their views on America's racial climate. And one thing has become abundantly clear.

Graham and Perdue are relics of the old south.

Steeped in bias, misogyny, and hypocrisy concealed by a veneer of genteelism, Graham and Perdue are what you picture when you think of a southern politician. They and people like them were the reasons why my parents were strongly against me driving in the south. I, and those like me, weren’t always welcomed there by everybody. With everyone watching intently, these old relics cannot hide their flip-flopping and double-talking by blaming the media. Why? Because we are watching you live from our homes, which have now become our offices and homeschools.

So, what will it mean for the south and America if Harrison and Ossoff are elected?

Outside of the historical feats, Ossoff being Georgia’s first Jewish senator and Harrison being South Carolina’s second, there will be cultural effects as well. The show of diversity in these ruby red states will be uplifting and inspiring, giving hope in a year that has been totally hopeless. This will also give a foothold for democrats in the future presidential elections. Let’s be real, Biden isn’t campaigning in Georgia because he likes the peaches. It’s because with Ossoff making headway in the polls, there’s a chance that Georgia, along with South Carolina, can be flipped.

November 3, 2020, can be a turning point for the south. They can stick with old guards that have helped perpetuate the stigma of those beneath the Mason Dixon line. Or they can take a step into the future and have leaders and representatives that are illustrative of their constituents.

As for me, I’m hoping for the latter. Maybe then, I won’t have to sit my son down next year when he gets his driver’s license and give him the same list I received.

This article is an opinion piece.

We speak with Angela Stanton-King about the importance of voting. Watch live here.