John Patterson was 'unelectable' as governor in Alabama in 1959. [View all]

[trof]

He was running against Judge George Corley Wallace who had mounted a very strong campaign.
Wallace was the favorite in most polls.

Understand that both men would be considerd racist by today's standards.
99% of whites here in Alabama at the time were racists.

My mother was instrumental in Patterson's campaign in Jefferson County (Birmingham).
In talking with friends and business associates she heard over and over "I like Patterson, but nobody's gonna vote for him. Wallace has got it."

She turned that into Patterson's campaign slogan: "Nobody But The People!"
"Who's gonna vote for Patterson? Nobody but the people."
He won.