UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles First to the Party: The Group Origins of Party Transformation A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science by Christopher Andrew Baylor 2012 ©Copyright by Christopher Andrew Baylor 2012 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION First to the Party: The Group Origins of Party Transformation By Christopher Andrew Baylor Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science University of California, Los Angeles, 2012 Professor John Zaller, Chair My dissertation shows how two marginal social groups - civil rights activists in the 1940s and religious conservatives in the 1980s – achieved many of their goals by becoming core players in a political party. In each case, the group faced opposition within its chosen party but allied with friendly partisans to marginalize opponents and nominate politicians committed to their priorities. Trying to influence office holders whom the groups had no hand in nominating proved ineffective: office holders would promise benefits but do nothing that displaced core supporters or median voters. Mobilizing nonpolitical groups for political purposes was the road to success. In both cases, marginal social groups rather than politicians drove the process, creating transformed parties that would stand up for rather than straddle the issues they cared about. ii This dissertation of Christopher Andrew Baylor is approved. Scott James Rachael Cobb John Zaller, Committee Chair University of California, Los Angeles 2012 iii Dedicated to the faculty and staff of the political science department at the University of California, Los Angeles iv Table of Contents Abbreviations vi Acknowledgements vii Chapter 1: Unwanted Relatives at the Party 1 Chapter 2: The Dilemmas of African Americans 35 Chapter 3: Making a CIO-NAACP Alliance 76 Chapter 4: Twisting the Donkey’s Tail 129 Chapter 5: Maintaining the Democratic Trajectory on Civil Rights 158 Chapter 6: When Theological Conservatives were Democrats 220 Chapter 7: The Largest Tract of Virgin Timber on the Political Landscape 257 Chapter 8: Eating the Elephant, One Bite at a Time 288 Chapter 9: Conclusion 344 Bibliography 354 v Abbreviations ACCC: American Council of Christian Churches ACLU: American Civil Liberties Union ACTV: American Council for Traditional Values ACU: American Conservative Union ADA: Americans for Democratic Action AFL: American Federation of Labor AFT: American Federation of Teachers BSCP: Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters CARD: Committee to Abolish Racial Discrimination (later “Racial” was removed) CBN: Christian Broadcast Network CFNM: Committee for a New Majority CIO: Congress of Industrial Organizations CPAC: Conservative Political Action Conference CIO: Congress of Industrial Organizations DNC: Democratic National Committee ERA: Equal Rights Amendment FEPC: Fair Employment Practices Commission FOF: Focus on the Family JFK: John F. Kennedy MC: Member of Congress MF: Microfilm NAACP: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People NAE: National Association of Evangelicals NEA: National Educational Association NCPAC: National Conservative Political Action Committee NLRB: National Labor Relations Board NOW: National Organization for Women NR: National Review NRB: National Religious Broadcasters NUL: National Urban League NWPC: National Women’s Political Caucus PCCR: President’s Committee on Civil Rights RFK: Robert F. Kennedy RNC: Republican National Committee SBC: Southern Baptist Convention UAW: United Auto Workers WEAL: Women’s Equity Action League WFB: William F. Buckley YAF: Young Americans for Freedom vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Since my senior year in high school, my plans have been to obtain a PhD and become a college professor. This manuscript marks the first achievement. I have many people to thank for helping me along the way. First and foremost, I would like to thank my dissertation committee. Professors John Zaller and Scott James, in particular, spent many hours with me exchanging ideas in their office. They saw potential in this project when I was not sure about it. Professor Zaller spent much more time commenting on my research and writing than the norm for a dissertation chair. His research in public opinion led me to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the first place. Rachael Cobb and David Karol have always been responsive and supportive, as well. Kathy Bawn provided helpful suggestions leading up to the defense of my prospectus. After a single meeting at the American Political Science Association’s annual convention, Eric Schickler agreed to read over my work on civil rights. Most of his insightful suggestions have led to substantial revisions in this part of my dissertation. My political science graduate education has taken place at UCLA and Boston College, and I found both environments to be highly nourishing centers of learning. I heartily thank the faculty and staff in both departments. I would like to thank the Arizona Historical Society, Catholic University, the George Bush Library, Georgetown University, the Harry Truman Library, the Library of Congress, Princeton University, the Robert Dole Institute of Politics, the Ronald Reagan Library, and Yale University for access to their special collections. I am especially grateful to William F. Buckley, Jerry Falwell, and William Rusher’s estates for granting vii me access to restricted materials. Professor William Martin at Rice University sent me interview transcripts with public figures important to my second case study. He saved me hundreds of dollars in travel costs by emailing copies of these transcripts to me. Many friends helped me in other ways by providing lodging and rides to the airport in several locations. Most of the subjects I interviewed - even those in their seventies - are still active in their careers and have little time to spare. Yet, they managed to find one, two, or even three hours of time to help me with my dissertation. These individuals were Morton Blackwell, David Boaz, Don Devine, Mickey Edwards, Tim Goeglien, Michael Horowitz, Ed Hudgins, David Keene, Jim Lacy, Gene Meyer, Grover Norquist, Howard Philips, Terry Scanlon, Phyllis Schlafly, and Richard Viguerie. All of them were patient and informative, and many of them helped me get in touch with other people to interview. Finally, I thank my friends and family for creating a support system outside of work that made my professional work possible. If you are reading this, you know who you are! viii Christopher A. Baylor Curriculum Vitae EDUCATION M.A. in Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009 Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science, Boston College, 2004-2006 M.A. in History, Brown University, 1999 B.A. in History and Philosophy, Muhlenberg College, 1997 ADDITIONAL TRAINING Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (2010) Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) (2007) Institute on Media and American Democracy at Kennedy School of Government (2001) Foundations of American Constitutionalism at Georgetown University (1998) RESEARCH INTERESTS Political Parties; Interest Groups; Public Opinion and Voting Behavior; Ideology; Campaigns and Elections; American Political Development PAPERS UNDER PEER REVIEW “First to the Party: the Group Origins of the Partisan Transformation on Civil Rights,” revise and resubmit WORKING PAPERS “Building Blocs – The Group Origins of Cultural Conservatism in the Republican Party” “Big Red and Deep Purple: the Dealignment of Highly Cross-Pressured Voters in an Era of Moral Issues” AWARDS Summer Mentored Teaching Fellow (2012) Teaching PS 141B (Public Opinion and Voter Behavior) at UCLA under guidance of John Zaller Robert J. Dole Archives and Special Collections Travel Grant (2011) UCLA Regents Stipend (2011-2012) stipend for UCLA Hoffenberg Fellowship (2011-2012) tuition assistance Bernard Marcus Fellowship (2010-2012) stipend for UCLA Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research Scholarship (2010) Departmental Fellowship (2006-2010) stipend and guaranteed teaching assistantship Graduate Summer Research Mentorship (2007) stipend and travel budget ICPSR Scholarship (2007) Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Fellow (2004-2005) fellowship for Boston College James Madison Fellow (1998) fellowship for Master’s Degree in history Summa Cum Laude (1997) Muhlenberg College TEACHING EXPERIENCE ix Visiting Lecturer, Wellesley College Course Year American Parties and Ideologies 2013 Gender, Sexuality, and the American Party System 2013 American Presidential Politics 2012 American Politics 2012 Lecturer Course Institution Year(s) Public Opinion and Voter Behavior UCLA 2012 Introduction to American Democracy Suffolk University 2006 Contemporary Issues Cambridge College 2003-2005 U.S. History Cambridge College 2003-2005 US History I and II Quincy College 2000-2003 American Government Quincy College 2000 Constitutional Law Quincy College 2000 Western Civilization I and II Quincy College 1999-2003 Teaching Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles Course Professor Quarter(s) The American Presidency Scott James Spring (2008-2010), Fall (2007) Introduction to American Politics Thomas Schwartz Winter (2010), Fall (2008-2009) Foreign Policy After 9/11 Marc Trachtenberg Winter (2009) Institutional Development Scott James Winter (2008) Teaching Assistant, Boston College Course Professor Semester Politics and Policies R. Shep Melnick Spring (2006) The New Politics of Public Policy R. Shep Melnick Fall (2005) CONFERENCE