You can find reactionaries in every part of the country, of course, but they dominate the political landscape in four areas: Appalachia; the Deep South; the Great Plains; and the Mountain West. Here is my analysis of what motivates them on a geographic basis:
1. Appalachia: Rural Lifestyles and the “War on Coal”: There was a time when the principal social division in these areas was between coal mine owners and miners, the latter of whom were reliable Democratic voters, but no longer. Today, primarily as a result of economic forces, but partly due to environmental regulations, the industry is struggling, and capitalists and workers alike blame the federal government.
GOP candidates for office in Appalachia show respect for rural values and lifestyles and make bogus promises to revive the coal industry by eliminating regulations. The Democrats consistently nominate candidates for President with no ties to or sympathy with rural lifestyles (guns, in particular) who promise handouts to the afflicted. It is no wonder the GOP message sells better.
There aren’t enough African-Americans living in these areas to be a political threat, so I don’t think you can attribute the changing political climate to racism. The trend was clear even before Obama was elected, and in any event, his race was only part of an intellectual package that is unequivocally “urban.”
2. The Deep South: Racism: In the Deep South, on the other hand, in addition to the painful history, there are enough African-Americans to be a threat to the white political establishment. The result of the GOP primaries tells the story here; Ted Cruz, who ran as a limited government/fundamentalist religion reactionary, was decisively beaten by Trump and his white nationalist supporters.
3. The Great Plains: Right-Wing Religion: The Great Plains were Cruz country during the primaries, and for good reason; the area is not struggling economically, and African-Americans and Hispanics do not present any sort of a threat to the establishment. It’s all about conservative Christian values here; farmers credit God and themselves when they prosper, and blame the government when they don’t.
4. The Mountain West: Rugged Individualism and Federal Lands: These are overwhelmingly rural states in which large areas are owned by the federal government. Friction between ranchers and environmentalists, with the federal government caught in the middle and pleasing no one, is a major theme here. As with the Great Plains states, race and globalization are not factors in this area.