Democratic Party
Democratic Party US political party, the descendant of the Anti-Federalist Party and the Democratic Republican Party. From the election of Thomas Jefferson (1801) until James Buchanan in 1857, the Democratic Party was the dominant force in US politics, gathering support from farmers and white-collar workers. The party was split by the Civil War (1861–65), with support mainly restricted to the South and West. It regained power in 1932 with Franklin D. Roosevelt's ‘New Deal’ policy. Democratic presidents were in office from 1961–69 ( John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson), a period marked by progressive economic and social policy, such as the passing of civil rights legislation. The 1970s and 1980s were more barren years, only Jimmy Carter (1977–81) held the presidency. The Republican Party dominated the political landscape until Bill Clinton recaptured the centre ground.
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Democratic Party
