Not quite sure if I agree with that..for the last 20 yeras, it's been OK to to vote for GOP nationally, yet still keep the local Dem officials..the problem for those local Dems is, witht he GOP controling the WH, all of Congress..and most likely the state governorships,a nd much of the state legislature..if you need something locaalyt..who are you supposed to call?..These local changes, while welcome, are probably more due to expediency..
You're right to some degree, but I think I'm also right to some degree. If you believe people like Sen. Shelby of Alabama (used to be a dem then changed over) and Zell Miller, they felt the dem. party nationally had moved far away from where the southern dems were. Some of that same feeling probably applies to the local officials who have been voting GOP with great frequency and feel no need to stay part of a party they no longer align with. However, some local officials probably feel a pragmatic pressure to be more in line with their state's congressional reps and senators. It's probably a mixture of both reasons.