Washington (CNN) -- On one of the coldest nights of the year, there was no mistaking the northwest Washington home of Democratic operatives Kiki and Joe McLean with the Mississippi Delta or Alabama Gulf Coast. But it smelled like the South inside the stately brick home Thursday night, attendees said. The aroma of black-eyed peas, ham, biscuits and sweet tea drifted from room to room as roughly 60 Democratic operatives chatted and exchanged ideas about how their party, one that once dominated the South, could start a comeback from years of Republican victories. The Southern Progress Fund, a super PAC of Democrats whose goal is to provide money and infrastructure to down-ballot Democrats in the South -- state legislators, attorneys general and mayors -- put on the "Southern Supper."
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Super PAC has a steep climb to try to take back South from Republicans
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Democrats once held stranglehold on region, which has turned red since 1960s
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Southern Democrats believe they have to create a culture of winning from cycle to cycle
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They point to small victories in campaigns that Southern Democrats managed
After signing the landmark civil rights legislation, he lamented to an aide: "I think we just delivered the @placeholder to the Republican Party for a long time to come."