Realignment and Dealignment

Election of 1932

-realigning -*Franklin Delano Roosevelt* vs. Herbert Hoover -forged an enduring New Deal Coalition of big city machines, the White South, intellectuals, labor unions, Catholics, Jews, and Westerners. -In 1936, African-Americans were added to the coalition

Election of 1800

-realigning -*Thomas Jefferson* vs. John Adams -Federalists --> Democratic-Republicans -center of power shifted from New England to the South -Jeffersonian democracy became the dominant ideology

The last several decades

-Many scholars argue that the trends in elections in the United States over the last several decades are best characterized as dealignment

Factors that Can Be Attributed to Dealignment

-a greater political awareness and socialization -intensive mass media coverage -decline of deference -disillusionment both with parties and politicians -the poor performance of government

Election of 1860

-realigning -*Abraham Lincoln* vs. John C. Beckinridge and Stephen Douglas -marked ascension of Republican party -party alignments were in turmoil, with several third parties, such as the Know Nothings and the Opposition Party -Republicans ran uninterrupted until the presidency of Grover Cleveland in 1884

Election of 1828

-realigning -*Andrew Jackson* vs. John Quincy Adams -Democratic-Republicans split into two parties: Democratic Party and the Whig Party. -dominated by Jacksonian democracy -By 1834 the Whigs emerged as the opposition to Andrew Jackson, led by Henry Clay of Kentucky. -First Party System (1796-1824) to Second Party System (1828-1854)

Election of 1896

-realigning (economically) -*William McKinley* vs. William Jennings Bryan -Bryan's message of populism and class conflict marked a new direction for the Democrats. Northern Democrats switched to Republican party -Republicans = industry, business, hard money, protective tariffs, urban interests -Democrats= farmers, small towns, low tariffs, rural interests -disputed among political historians about whether it really counts as a realigning election

dealignment

-when a large portion of the electorate abandons its previous partisan affiliation, without developing a new one to replace it -when significant numbers of voters no longer support a particular political party -typically become independents or non-voters

realignment

A period when a major, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties. It is typically when a dominant party loses power and a new dominant party takes its place.