Question

In the early years of the County Unit System, Eugene Talmadge won election as Georgia's governor four times. What can you conclude about his support during his political career?
A) Industrial areas threw their support behind Talmadge.
B) Farmers did not trust him due to his training as a lawyer.
C) Most of his support came from people living outside of Atlanta.
D) As a member of the Democratic Party, Talmadge opposed the County Unit System.

Answer 1

Answer:

The answer is Option C: Most of his support came from people living outside of Atlanta.

Explanation:

When Georgia passed the Neill Primary Act in the early 1900s, they created what was later known as the County Unit System. This made it so that rural counties had their votes grouped into one "unit" when selecting a candidate. This made it so rural communities gained more leverage in party politics than the residents of cities in Georgia.  Eugene Talmadge was known for supporting segregation and even caused the Georgia state universities to lose their accreditation because he intervened by firing Walter Cocking, an administrator who supported racial integration. Talmadge did not want the universities to be de-segregated.