2.4 Re-alignment Elections
Realigning elections
Realigning elections or political realignment describe elections that cause a significant shift in the way voters align themselves, that is, in who they vote for. Such a political realignment may center on a "critical election" or be spread among several elections. More specifically, they often refer to American national elections in which there are sharp changes in issues, party leaders, the regional and demographic bases of power of the two parties, and structure or rules of the political system (such as voter eligibility, or financing), resulting in a new political power structure and a new status quo.
What happens in a party realignment?
1.The disruption of the existing political order because of the emergence of one or more unusually powerful and divisive issues
2.An election contest in which the voters shift their support strongly in favor of one party
3.A major change in policy brought about through the action of the stronger party
4. An enduring change in party coalitions, which works to the lasting advantage of the dominant party
A central component of realignment is the change in behavior of voting groups. Realignment means the switching of voter preference from one party to another, in contrast to dealignment (where a voter group abandons a party to become independent or nonvoting).
Here is a list of elections most often cited as "realigning":
Presidential Election of 1800, Thomas Jefferson
This election completed the turnover of power from the Federalist Party of Washington and Hamilton to Jefferson and the Democratic-Republican Party. The modern-day Democratic party was established, although it was reinforced in the election of 1828. Power shifted from New England to the South. As late as 1812, however, the Federalists still saw sings of life but they were discredited after opposing the War of 1812.
Presidential Election of 1828, Andrew Jackson
In this election, the Democratic-Republicans reinforced their identify asthe modern-day Democrats, and the Whigs emerged. The Democrats were led by Andrew Jackson and then Martin Van Buren and the Whigs were led by Henry Clay of Kentucky.
Presidential election of 1860, Abraham Lincoln
The Whigs collapsed in 1852 and there was political turmoil for a short period that gave rise to a short-lived third party, the Know Nothings. Although Abraham Lincoln began his career as a Whig, he emerged to lead the Republic party which was committed to ending slavery, and then rallied around the idea of nationalism as the nation moved toward the Civil War.
Presidential election of 1896, William McKinley
Exactly how much realignment took place in this election is debated. This election marks the end of the Civil War Era as new issues took the place of those that defined the Civil War period. Also, McKinley, in defeating William Jennings Bryan, began to use campaign methods that have come to define the modern era, including raising big money from business (McKinley outspent Bryan 10 to 1) and campaigning in hotly contested states (swing states). Bryan also struck a theme of “populism” which has come to characterize the Democratic party ever since. McKinley was re-elected in 1900.
United States presidential election of 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
There’s no question that this is a big realignment election. FDR’s New Deal policies, designed to pull the country out of the Great Depression, represent a huge change in American politics; and, these policies have come to identify the Democratic party ever since in many ways. In doing so, FDR forged a coalition of big city political machines, labor unions, the White South, Catholics, Jews and Westerners.
When will the next realigning election occur? Some predicted that the election of 2008, when Barack Obama was elected, would be a realigning election. After the massive Democratic losses in the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections in 2010, this idea is less certain.
The United States has been in electoral deadlock without a party taking a commanding lead.
The Sixth Political Re-Alignment?
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