Whistling Past Dixie: How Democrats Can Win Without the SouthTwo generations ago Kevin Phillips challenged Republicans to envision a southern based national majority. In Whistling Past Dixie, Tom Schaller issues an equally transformative challenge to Democrats: Build a winning coalition outside the South. The South is no longer the swing region in American politics it has swung to the Republicans. Most of the South is beyond the Democrats' reach, and what remains is moving steadily into the Republican column.