When Lincoln was President the republicans were anti-slavery (sort of). If you know any civil rights history. You would know that after Lyndon Johnson passed his voting rights and great society agendas. He was told and he told people that the south was lost to republicans for generations. That was because the Dixiecrats (white democrats for the south) would end up losing seats to republicans because the Democrats (Lyndon Johnson) passed voting and social safety net programs. Including Medicare. The voting rights act, was the piece of legislation that the south had fought and died for in the civil war (the general concept).’once democrats passed voting rights then the south turned to their new racist party the GOP could call home. Republicans welcomed their votes but dared not publicly associate with the fringes. Now the republicans not only welcome the fringe, they are recruiting the fringe. I understand their fascist asses. the party of corporatists, nationalist insurrectionists and modern day theological conquistadors was dying from loss of support and no platform. If I had no soul, morals, empathy and was a power hungry sociopath, I may be enticed to let the lunatics into the asylum. Wee what happens when you do, they always end up running the asylum.