The two significant points about how the Ku Klux Klan gained power and influence in the South are:
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It was a group of white Democrats who wanted to regain control of the government - The Klan emerged during a time when white Southerners, particularly Democrats, were attempting to reestablish control after the Civil War and Reconstruction.
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The group influenced the voting behaviors of citizens through threats - The KKK used intimidation, threats, and violence to suppress the votes of African Americans and to instill fear in those who opposed their ideology, effectively influencing political outcomes in their favor.