The New South as far as the GOP is concerned are Reagan Democrats who didn't start voting consistently GOP at every level (downticket) until GWB in 2000.
These are not the kind of men who will cotton to someone in a flamboyant drag queen costume, and to think that Guiliani's opponents will not capitalize on this foolishness is foolishness itself, as was his willingness to appear in drag in the first place.
That sort of thing makes Southern men uncomfortable in their choice of President, regardless of whatever you're piping in Illinois.
Here's a bookmark for you -- meet me back at this thread in late March of 2008 after Rudy drops out from his Super Tuesday fiasco, so I can rub your face in it.
I was born and raised in the South and my family is still there. It is in the South that Guiliani is drawing some of his biggest and most enthusiastic crowds. They have a sense of humor in the South as well as concern about who could fight our enemies most effectively.
There will be no clear winner from the Primary races so I don't expect to see anyone dropping out. It appears likely that the nominee will come from the Convention not the primaries and Guiliani will likely go into it with more delegates than any of the others. He will win half the Southern primaries.