I'd match Tennessee's history of racial progressiveness against Maryland's any day. We were the first southern state to desegregate schools, and we had less trouble during this period than many states both North and South. Even during Reconstruction, we had many biracial Union Leagues in East Tennessee. That old Unionist tradition carried on through the decades at a time most Southern states had one party Democratic rule, Tennessee had a strong Republican practice. Unlike Maryland, I strongly doubt Tennessee would have rejected a strong Republican like Steele.
Apologies to anybody from Maryland reading this, but I love my state and its unique and independent history.