It's important to remember that, even after the Dixiecrats lost in 1948, several prominent Republicans proposed that the GOP do whatever it could to bring the disaffected Dixiecrats into their camp.
The effort wasn't surprising, given the growing common ground between conservative Republicans and conservative Southern Democrats.
Reporters routinely talked about the "Republican-Dixiecrat coalition" that effectively ran the Senate.
Here's columnist Drew Pearson in 1949:
Reporters routinely talked about the "Republican-Dixiecrat coalition" that effectively ran the Senate.
Here's columnist Drew Pearson in 1949:
Some conservative Republicans wanted to make this coalition a bit more official.
In 1949, Sen. John Bricker (R-OH) proposed that Northern Republicans and Southern Democrats form a new party to take on Truman's increasingly liberal Democrats.
(Circleville Herald, 12/2/49)
In 1949, Sen. John Bricker (R-OH) proposed that Northern Republicans and Southern Democrats form a new party to take on Truman's increasingly liberal Democrats.
(Circleville Herald, 12/2/49)
The conservative chairman of the Republican National Committee, Guy Gabrielson, didn't want the GOP to break up, of course.
Instead, he proposed in 1950 that the Dixiecrats simply pledge to vote for the GOP ticket in 1952.
(Birmingham News, 3/12/50)
Instead, he proposed in 1950 that the Dixiecrats simply pledge to vote for the GOP ticket in 1952.
(Birmingham News, 3/12/50)
The plan blew up in Gabrielson's face, when moderate Republicans objected, largely on the grounds that making common cause with the segregationist Dixiecrats would force the party to reject its past support for civil rights.
(Decatur Herald, 3/27/50)
(Decatur Herald, 3/27/50)
But that wasn't the end of it.
In 1951, Sen. Karl Mundt (R-SD), an outspoken ally of Joe McCarthy, hatched a new plan for the 1952 election in which a Republican presidential nominee and a Southern Democratic VP nominee would run together.
(Raleigh News & Observer, 5/24/51)
In 1951, Sen. Karl Mundt (R-SD), an outspoken ally of Joe McCarthy, hatched a new plan for the 1952 election in which a Republican presidential nominee and a Southern Democratic VP nominee would run together.
(Raleigh News & Observer, 5/24/51)
Mundt's plan "solved" the sticking point of civil rights by delegating the issue (framed here around the Fair Employment Practices Commission, the most important civil rights office of the day) to the states, which would just let southern states end the practice.
(RN&O, 5/24/51)
(RN&O, 5/24/51)
That scheme didn't come to pass either.
But conservative Republicans kept trying to win over Dixiecrats.
In early 1952, as I noted in this thread, RNC Chairman Gabrielson went back to Alabama to woo Dixiecrats to the GOP.
But conservative Republicans kept trying to win over Dixiecrats.
In early 1952, as I noted in this thread, RNC Chairman Gabrielson went back to Alabama to woo Dixiecrats to the GOP.
And, to some degree, this plan worked.
Some Dixiecrat leaders defected and several southern states went to Ike in 1952 and 1956.
Some Dixiecrat leaders defected and several southern states went to Ike in 1952 and 1956.
As I noted in that thread, at the state level, the recruitment was even more pronounced.
In 1954, for instance, the Republican candidate for governor of Alabama was a former leader of the 1948 Dixiecrat movement in the state, Tom Abernerthy.
(Birmingham News, 5/19/54)
In 1954, for instance, the Republican candidate for governor of Alabama was a former leader of the 1948 Dixiecrat movement in the state, Tom Abernerthy.
(Birmingham News, 5/19/54)
As I've noted before, it would take another decade before the long drive to bring conservative Southern Democrats solidly into the ranks of the Republican Party succeeded, and several more to complete.
But the effort was there from the start.
But the effort was there from the start.
If you're just joining us, I've chronicled those later changes in several threads.
Start here:
Start here:
