Although the Deep South is solidly Republican in national elections, don’t most local officials (city and county positions) still run as Democrats, even though they identify privately as Republicans? Seems I read an article somewhere to that effect.
Yes, that is somewhat true. Many local politicians stay in the Democrat Party because the rural counties hang on to the Dem registration.....but don’t consider themselves to be liberal or progressive.
I make it a point to admonish any I come across and encourage them to change parties. It took years to get my own brother and his wife to change registrations. Personally, I couldn’t be a Dem just because of Pelosi, Reid, Shumer, Clinton, etc. Most people, I find, don’t feel like that is compromising their values. So much for their values.