Why is today's Republican Party infested with neo-confederates, fundamentalists, and corporate conservatives?

the 1968 election cinched it with the crook Nixon whose entire campaign appealed to white conservative racists in the south. And, then the racist pedophile Strom Thurmond jumped from the Dixiecrats in the Democratic party and went over to the Repukes. Yes, the south has risen again and so has their ignorant fascist ideals with the Bush administration..