The belief that most Southern voters opposed Johnson's impeachment because he was seen as a sympathetic figure who was trying to uphold the traditional values of the South and protect the rights of the states against the encroachment of the federal government. Additionally, many Southerners may have viewed the impeachment as a partisan attack by the Radical Republicans in Congress who were seeking to punish Johnson for his lenient policies towards the former Confederate states. This sentiment could have motivated Southern voters to support Johnson and oppose his impeachment.
