History of the Virginia Democratic Party, 1965-2015
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Date
2015-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Virginia is widely considered to be the foundation of American Democracy. This crucial state in establishing the American Republic has often been overlooked as a key state in modern American politics. Historians tend to focus their research on national political parties, often overlooking state politics. Yet, the rise of two-party competition in Virginia is an important story – one that contributes to a fascinating history of the transformation of the Virginia Democratic Party. Since the Civil Rights Movement, the Virginia Democratic Party has transformed from a segregationist party to an electorally successful party with multiracial support. This transformation is due largely to party leaders. As such, this story begins with Governor Mills Godwin’s first term, from 1965-1969, as a Democrat, and uses his own personal political transformation into a Republican to exemplify a greater shift in political identity among conservative whites within Virginia and much of the South. The story continues with a Democratic resurgence during the Reagan era from 1981-1993. Despite their success, the Virginia Democrats faced significant setbacks throughout the 1990s. Since the new millennium, however, the Virginia Democrats have been electorally competitive through the 2014 Midterm Elections. Increased support from minority groups, including black and women voters, has shaped the transformation of the Virginia Democratic Party. As Virginia becomes increasingly urban, however, it separates itself from the rest of the South (with the notable exception of Florida). The rise of Northern Virginia has expanded the Virginia Democrats’ electoral support, allowing this transformation to occur in the Commonwealth and not throughout the rest of the region. Through interviews with former Democratic Party leaders, newspaper archives, and other secondary sources, this project expands on existing research on political parties since the Civil Rights Movement, and narrows in on the exciting transformation of the Virginia Democratic Party since 1965.
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Transformation of Democratic Politics in Virginia