Donald Trump continued his dominance in the South tonight, winning the Republican primary in Mississippi. Trump previously won primaries in South Carolina, Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The South was expected to be Ted Cruz territory, but outside of his home state of Texas, the senator has ceded the region almost entirely to Trump.
Southern states tend to be ethnically diverse. The New York Times notes that in these states, where white people perceive themselves as being under attack, Republican voters gravitate to the radicalized message Trump has delivered.
Southern states also tend to have higher unemployment rates, and Trump’s populist rhetoric has resonated on that front.