In the south, the Dixiecrats (e.g. the Talmadges in Georgia) were essentially the same as Republicans today (and in fact southern Democrats started switching over in the 60's, with Georgia's Zell Miller being one of the last defectors). They knew they couldn't get elected with a (D) next to their name on the ballot, and maintaining power--not promoting social justice--was their sole motivator.

I'll say this for the present crop of racist southern politicians (and this is far from a compliment): they've gotten more subtle in their racist rhetoric, because they've noticed that overt statements like these that you quote will get them in trouble. Now they rely on dog whistles like "Chicago" or "parental choice" or "traditional values." But regardless of how they cloak their bigotry, it's the same old same old.