fdr4freedoms 1 19. The New Deal Democrats: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Democratic Party With Franklin D. Roosevelt at its helm, the Democratic Party underwent a historic transformation. Before FDR rose to national prominence in the early 1930s, the party had represented a loose conglomeration of local and regional interests. Dominated by the “solid South” that dated to post–Civil War Reconstruction, this group also included Great Plains and Western farmers influenced by the Populist and Progressive movements, as well as the burgeoning ethnic populations of the great cities of the North and East, where the “machine politics” epitomized by New York City’s Tammany Hall ruled the day. Above: A banner for Franklin D. Roosevelt over a pawnshop in This diverse assemblage did not adhere to a central Rosslyn, Virginia, September 1936. ideology or political philosophy, but was instead heavily In November, FDR would outdo his influenced by religious and geographical identities and electoral margins of 1932, winning all but two states and the highest interests. Democrats might be found on both sides of a percentage of electoral votes since variety of political issues. Ironically, the party was home to the virtually uncontested election both the new waves of heavily Catholic and Jewish immigrants of 1820. of the Northeast and the extremely anti-Catholic and nativist Left: A poster for Franklin D. Ku Klux Klan of the South. Roosevelt’s 1932 campaign for president, calling for “action” and The Republicans enjoyed significant support across a fairly “constructive leadership.” The Great wide spectrum of the American political landscape. That party Depression was so cataclysmic that was heavily favored by northern white Protestants, small and it created an appetite for change in America, helping FDR lead a large business interests, professional white-collar workers, historic shift in voting patterns. Many and, thanks in part to the Progressive wing of the party, many Americans wanted the government factory workers and western farmers. As the party of Lincoln, to establish basic safeguards against destitution and economic exploitation. it also had the strong support of the African American Ames Historical Society community. FDR would reconfigure these alliances, shaping a Democratic coalition that would take in the majority of working people, farmers, and racial minorities—including millions of new voters. This coalition would bring enormous The disaster of the Great Depression helped FDR take change to America, remaining at the fulcrum of its political the presidency in 1932 and begin this historic political shift. life for generations. Indeed, FDR’s election in 1932 ended a But FDR’s ability to try new approaches, correct mistakes, long period of Republican dominance in national politics— and adapt to changing circumstances helped him hold since 1860 only two Democrats had taken the White House— together his newly formed Democratic coalition during the and ushered in a period of Democratic dominance. twelve tumultuous years of his presidency. II. Hope, Recovery, Reform: The Great Depression and FDR’s New Deal 19. The New Deal Democrats: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Democratic Party fdr4freedoms 2 Franklin D. Roosevelt with Democratic Party official James Farley, 1935 or 1936. After securing the party’s nomination for president in July 1932, FDR the candidate had made A Farley—his campaign manager—chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Farley would head the National Committee throughout the 1930s and play an important part The 1932 Election and in strengthening the party and winning elections for FDR. LOC Its Impact Franklin D. Roosevelt’s landslide victory in of the 1930s and, along with FDR’s longtime Party’s dominance below the Mason-Dixon the 1932 presidential election owed much political aide, Louis Howe, play an important Line and took every state west of the to voters’ disgust over incumbent Herbert part in strengthening the party and winning Mississippi—something no Democrat had ever Hoover’s failure to halt the downward elections for FDR. done. FDR also did very well in most industrial spiral of the Great Depression. But FDR Of all his electoral victories, FDR’s first cities. also brought to bear a carefully honed election to the presidency was arguably FDR’s sweep helped Democrats win seats Democratic political apparatus. After the most consequential for party politics. nationwide. The party made significant gains securing the party’s nomination for president On November 8, 1932, he became the first in state legislatures and in gubernatorial in July 1932, FDR the candidate had taken Democratic candidate since 1852 to win an races, and established a solid majority in both charge of its national organization by placing absolute majority of the popular vote—57.4 houses of Congress—congressional majorities James Farley—his campaign manager—as percent, versus Hoover’s 39.7 percent. In this that would persist, with only two brief chairman of the Democratic National lopsided win, FDR established Democratic interruptions, until the election of 1980. Committee. Farley would head the National majorities in virtually every region of the In the new Congress that convened in Committee throughout the critical period country. He reestablished the Democratic 1933, Democrats outnumbered Republicans II. Hope, Recovery, Reform: The Great Depression and FDR’s New Deal 19. The New Deal Democrats: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Democratic Party fdr4freedoms 3 1932 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS Franklin D. Roosevelt 8 Party Democratic 5 Home State New York 4 4 Running Mate John N. Garner 5 11 3 4 Electoral Vote 472 4 4 12 17 47 States carried 42 3 19 8 4 Popular vote 22,821,277 11 7 36 16 3 Percentage 57.4% 26 4 29 14 3 22 6 8 8 9 15 11 11 Herbert Hoover 13 11 3 11 Party Republican 3 9 8 Home State California 12 9 11 Running Mate Charles Curtis 23 10 Electoral Vote 59 States carried 6 7 Popular vote 15,761,254 Percentage 39.7% 310 to 117 in the House and 60 to 35 in the public works but via subsidies to industry, the party of working people and farmers. Senate. But while such broad majorities agriculture, and banks. They opposed This appealing image stood in stark contrast might seem to give FDR a free hand to enact government spending that exceeded to that of the Hoover Republicans, whose sweeping reforms, ideological divisions revenues. They tended to be antiunion and seemingly cool indifference to the millions within the Democratic Party made pressing were firmly against the federal government who suffered in the Great Depression led his reform agenda a complex task requiring extending legal protections to workers or to charges, especially among Progressive considerable political skill. racial minorities. Republicans, that the Grand Old Party (GOP) The most fervent support for the New FDR’s challenge, as president and head had become elitist. With the historic shift Deal, for example, came from a variety of of the party, was to bring these disparate that brought FDR to office, class identity liberal groups—urban reformers, midwestern elements together into a coherent national was becoming a more important element in and western Progressives (many of whom political force that would rally around his elections and in political life generally. were Republicans), and southern Populists. “New Deal” for the American people. They agreed that the government should For the Republican Party, the 1932 promote economic recovery by hiring people election was a disaster from which it The 1932 election of Franklin D. Roosevelt began a forty- for public-works projects and giving direct would take years to recover. While many year period in which the Roosevelt coalition and its ideas relief to the poor. But they sometimes Republicans—dismayed at Hoover’s ineffectual dominated American political life. disagreed sharply on fiscal and monetary response to the economic crisis—chose to issues such as balancing the budget and switch parties and vote for FDR, millions more controlling inflation, on how best to establish simply stayed home and did not vote at all. In regional priorities, and especially on race and the meantime, millions of new immigrants and civil rights issues. working-class citizens who had never voted Meanwhile, conservative Democrats— before came out to support FDR. particularly those from the South—opposed The election of 1932 was a critical step FDR on numerous fronts. They wanted to in establishing the “Roosevelt coalition” that stimulate economic growth not through made the Democratic Party by and large II. Hope, Recovery, Reform: The Great Depression and FDR’s New Deal 19. The New Deal Democrats: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Democratic Party fdr4freedoms 4 ‘34, raised the Democratic Party’s popularity B to new heights. Democratic majorities in the House and Senate expanded in the 1934 The Onset of the New midterm elections. But in keeping with the party’s disparate factions, many New Deal Deal, Voices of Protest, programs and laws contained contradictory elements. And early efforts to forge ties and the Election of 1936 with business interests through the National Industrial Recovery Act largely foundered. Once in power, Franklin D. Roosevelt focused By 1935—in spite of renewed growth in the on forging a broad political coalition to economy and a roughly 10 percent drop in support the New Deal. The unprecedented unemployment—voices of protest had emerged urgency of the economic crisis, coupled on both the left and the right. Some thought with FDR’s political acumen, charm, and the Roosevelt administration’s interventions resounding confidence, made lawmakers hadn’t gone far enough. Others criticized the unusually eager to work with the new administration for intervening too aggressively president. in the economy. With strong support from Democrats One such group was the deeply and many liberal Republicans, FDR was able conservative American Liberty League.