You're right that there's a hate pile-on. But the pivot here in Alabama is strong, as it seems to be in Georgia, too. A Georgia friend explained it this way:

Yes, there's still a lot of racism in Georgia, and people like Marjorie Taylor Greene can get elected in their districts by appealing to it. But those appeals can backfire in a statewide or national election. Here's how she explained it:

To win Georgia in those elections, you must carry the Atlanta metro area and the parts of South Georgia that have a strong black vote. Appeals to racism in either will backfire not just just with black voters but with the educated, moderate (non-Trumpster) GOP in the Atlanta area, because Stacey & Co. will mobilize the troops against you.

Attacking the supposed "LGBQT agenda" is seen as somehow "safer" because even here in my small Alabama town, we have drag-queen story hours etc. that some of all races may see as a threat. What a mess!