the south's transition to a republican stronghold took decades and happened incrementally, with national politics gradually influencing state and local politics. first the states started voting republican in presidential elections—the democrats countered that by nominating southerners who could carry some states in the region, such as jimmy carter in 1976 and bill clinton in 1992 and 1996. however, the strategy narrowly failed with al gore in 2000. the states began electing republican senators to fill open seats caused by retirements and finally governors and state legislatures changed sides. georgia was the last state to shift to the gop, with republican sonny perdue taking the governorship in 2002. republicans aided the process with redistricting that protected the african-american and hispanic vote (as required by the civil rights laws), but split up the remaining white democrats so that republicans mostly would win.