All Roads Lead Through the South: America’s Political Future

All roads lead through the South, and the region may be shaping America’s political future more than the national conversation realizes. Jen Palmieri and Erinn Haines join Grace and Katherine to examine the changing political landscape across South Carolina and the broader South, including rising voter engagement, new Democratic candidates, shifting coalitions, and the long-term infrastructure needed to compete. They explore why Southern politics is not as settled as it looks from Washington, how voting rights and gerrymandering are influencing participation, and why South Carolina could play an outsized role in the future of the Democratic Party. We also look at what national media gets wrong about the South and why understanding American politics increasingly means paying attention to the people organizing, voting, and building power there. 00:00 All Roads Lead Through the South 04:32 Why South Carolina Is the Political Epicenter 06:36 Why South Carolina Democrats Are Surging 08:42 Voting Rights Backlash Is Driving Turnout 10:51 A New Generation of Southern Candidates 16:13 Southern Politics Is Starting to Shift 21:19 What Southern Voters Actually Want 28:14 Building Political Power Across the South 35:08 Remembering Dolly Parton Long Play Series https://www.youtube.com/@longplayseries Frogmore Stew brings context, history, and political analysis to the stories shaping South Carolina. There's more stew on Substack! https://frogmorestew.substack.com/ Learn more about Frogmore Stew at https://www.frogmorestewsc.com/ On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/frogmorestewsc on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@frogmorestewsc Frogmore Stew is brought to you by The Alliance Coalition The Alliance Coalition works to redistribute power back to YOU, the voter. We do this by collecting data on belief systems, providing clear and digestible political information, history and trends, while building a community for those of us who feel politically unhoused. We encourage all to engage in shaping our state’s future and communicating our thoughts about how to do that productively. https://www.thealliancecoalition.org/