Party switching in the United States

In United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office. In the United States' dominant two-party system, the switches most commonly occur between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, although there have also been a number of notable switches to and from third parties, and even between third parties. Use of the term party switch often connotes a transfer of held power from one party to another.

The majority of party switchers in the modern era have switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. This behavior has been most widespread in the South, especially during the Civil Rights movement, due to the Democratic Party's positions on civil rights and social issues which were unpopular at the time in this predominantly conservative region. President Lyndon B. Johnson famously remarked, upon signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, "We have just lost the South for a generation."

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[edit] Motivations

There are a number of reasons why an elected official, or someone seeking office, might choose to switch parties. One reason is ethical obligation--the person feels their views are no longer aligned with those of their current party.

A second reason is to gain power and influence. The incumbent may be a member of the minority party in a legislature and would like to gain the advantages of being in the majority party, such as the potential to chair a committee.

Another reason is simply "to get elected." This may be the primary reason when the opposing party's base in a constituency is reaching a size that threatens the safe reelection of the incumbent.

[edit] History

[edit] The nineteenth century

The shifting of allegiance between political parties was much more common during the nineteenth century than it is today. It took several years for political parties as we know them today to coalesce after the founding of the United States, and many parties formed and fell apart rapidly.

A massive party switch occurred in the 1800s and 1810s when many members of the United States Federalist Party joined the United States Democratic-Republican Party. When this party fell apart in the 1820s, its members all switched to various political parties, including the United States Whig Party, as well as the Democratic, National Republican, Anti-Jackson and Anti-Mason Parties. The Republican Party was also formed by a massive party switch in 1854 when northern members of the Whig, American and Free Soil parties, along with a few northern Democrats, formed the Republican Party, and many Southern Whigs became Democrats. Following the United States Civil War the Republican Party faced several massive party switches. As Reconstruction ended, many Southern Republicans became Democrats. In 1872 Republicans dissatisfied with President Ulysses S. Grant formed the Liberal Republican Party and had a joint presidential campaign with the Democrats. Most Liberal Republicans soon returned to the main Republican Party, however. A similar situation occurred in 1884 when the mugwumps left the Republican Party and supported the Democratic presidential candidate, later rejoining the Republican party. The next major conflict in the Republican Party occurred in 1896 when Republican supporters of Free silver left the party to form the Silver Republicans, though again most of these politicians later rejoined the Republican Party. By the late 19th century, as the Democratic and Republican parties became more established, however, party switching became less frequent.

[edit] The twentieth century

The shifts in American voter demographics beginning in the second half of the twentieth century - the southern states from Democratic to Republican, and New England and the west coastal states from Republican to Democratic - have prompted several incumbent federal legislators and many state legislators to switch parties.

[edit] Notable party switchers

Notable party switchers of the modern era include:

[edit] Democrat to Republican

Though he never formally changed his affiliation, former U.S. Senator Zell B. Miller (D-Georgia), caucused with the Senate Republicans and spoke at the 2004 Republican National Convention.

[edit] Democrat to third party/independent/Independent or third party to Democrat

[edit] Republican to Democrat

[edit] Republican to third party/independent

[edit] Other

There have been several instances of politicians continuing to be a member of a political party while running other campaigns as an independent. The most prominent examples include southern Democratic segregationists Strom Thurmond in 1948 and George Wallace in 1968, who remained in the Democratic Party for statewide campaigns but mounted national presidential campaigns as independents. Wallace later ran in the 1972 Democratic primaries. Earlier, liberal Republican Robert La Follette, Sr. ran for President as the candidate of the Progressive Party in 1924, while still remaining a Republican in the Senate.

Other political figures, such as Zell Miller and Ed Koch, did not formally leave their parties, but supported a candidate from another party. Miller and Koch, though well-known Democrats, supported Republican George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign. This received much media attention in 2004, when Democrats for Bush and Republicans for Kerry groups were formed. In New Hampshire, former Republican governor Walter Peterson has expressed supported Democrat John Lynch in his bids for governor. Similarly, in 1860, former Democratic President Martin Van Buren ended up supporting Abraham Lincoln due to his disagreements with Democratic policies on secession.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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