re: Why do republicans/conservatives have such a hard time admitting to the party switch

The switch wasn’t so much an ideological shift by the parties but an ideological shift in generations growing up with different values.

The people who were republicans or democrats in 1965 by and large never changed their stripes. They kept their ideologies and parties, almost to a man, until the day they died, although some blacks left the republican party for the democratic party in the 70’s and 80’s.

What caused the “flip” was that a younger generation grew up with a different set of values from their parents. These younger boomers silent generation folks abhorred Jim Crowe and the good ‘ol boy system. They became the backbone of the Reagan revolution in the 80’s. This younger, more racially tolerant, anti-government intrusion generation slowly replaced their democrat parents as they aged. However, at the state and local level, most southern states did not see republican majorities in legislatures or congressmen delegations until the 2000’s.

The GOP is in real danger in the south as the gen x and boomer parents have birthed a much more liberal generation than they are. The younger millennials and gen z are far more collectivist and want government involvement to punish racism and inequality. If the GOP doesn’t expand outreach efforts and adapt to convince some of these younger voters that a more conservative, small government ideology is better for them, then we will see another “switch”.

People might have but the parties didn't switch. Democrats have always been the party of racism and hate.