Landslide The New Right
Mar 7, 2024
Explore the rise of the New Right movement in the 1976 Republican primary, fueled by anger over integration, women's rights, gun laws, and textbooks. Learn about Reagan's improbable comeback with the help of conservative organizations. Dive into the strategic campaign tactics, including Reagan's stance on the Panama Canal, successful wins in North Carolina and Texas, and the intense rivalry with Ford leading to the national convention.
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Textbook Protests Turned Violent
- In Kanaw County, West Virginia, parents protested textbooks they said quoted Malcolm X and contained profanity, sparking months of unrest.
- Outsiders like Heritage Foundation lawyers and anti-pornography activists flew in to support the protests and escalate the conflict.
Outside Groups Stoke Busing Backlash
- Anti-busing protests in Boston attracted outside groups like the Conservative Caucus and National Right to Life who mailed inflammatory appeals tying integration to anti-God textbooks.
- Those mail campaigns asked for money and linked textbook and busing anger into a broader conservative coalition.
Shared Data Built The New Right Network
- Richard Vigory ran a central mailing operation that linked many small conservative groups by sharing lists and messaging.
- This 'forest of aspen trees' structure let activists transfer donors and activists between causes efficiently.