Southern states breed a type of politician that is what Donald Trump is on a pettier and smaller scale - you could say they were the prototype. Try Ma Ferguson and Alfalfa Bill Murray for stupid fucks that made their way to Governor (Ma Ferguson is probably(?) the originator of “if English was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me”; Alfalfa Bill Murray almost started a Texas/Oklahoma war).

Sorta like how MTG, and Michelle Bachman before her started. National attention for saying stupid shit = avalanche of votes on name recognition in your stupid home state.