In the context of American political history, political parties have undergone significant transformations due to ideological shifts, demographic changes, and major events. This has led to periodic realignments in the party system. For example, the New Deal coalition of the 1930s brought together various groups under the Democratic Party, while the Southern Strategy in the late 20th century sought to realign Southern whites with the Republican Party. Analyze how these shifts have influenced modern political party dynamics.
Based on this historical context, which of the following statements best describes the primary reason for the decline of the New Deal coalition in the late 20th century?