The Pittsburgh Press (September 6, 1946)
Background of news –
Political unrest in South
By Bertram Benedict
A project for a new and separate Democratic Party in the South was scheduled to be put before the State Democratic Convention of Arkansas today. The proposal is likely to evoke more interest than support.
Southern conservatives today are all the more restive within the Democratic Party because the two-thirds rule for the presidential and vice-presidential nominations was abolished at the 1936 convention in Philadelphia. While the two-thirds rule obtained, the South enjoyed in effect a veto power over the nominations.
The Arkansans now proposing a second Democratic Party in the South declare that neither major political party is following policies acceptable to “a great majority of Southern white people.”
They charge further that the present Democratic administration is working hand-in-glove with “Communists, pink Socialists and other fellow-travelers who… pursue a persistent and determined policy of undermining all the things the South holds sacred.”
Byrd got lots of votes
The width and depth of this anti-administration sentiment in the South can hardly be overestimated. In the Democratic national convention in Chicago in 1944, three southern states – Louisiana, Mississippi and Virginia – voted solidly for Sen. Harry F. Byrd of Virginia for the presidential nomination, although he was not a candidate and although President Roosevelt was sure of renomination. And Mr. Byrd received 22½ votes from other southern delegations.
However, difficulties facing any southern political group defying a national Democratic administration also can hardly be overestimated.
In 1944 the State Democratic Convention of Texas, meeting two months prior to the national convention, instructed its nominees for presidential electors to vote for some other Democrat than Mr. Roosevelt. But at the national convention the delegates of this anti-Roosevelt state convention had to be content with ½ vote each to ½ for each pro-Roosevelt delegates named by a rump state convention.
A new state convention was called for September 12, and in elections for this one, the pro-Roosevelt forces won over the “regulars.” The convention named a slate of pro-Roosevelt electors; by decision of the state Supreme Court this list was put on the ballots as the official Democratic list.
‘Regulars’ lost out
The “regulars” ran their own slate of electors; in the November election it receives only 135,000 votes to 822,000 for the pro-Roosevelt list and 191,000 for the Republican electors.
The South ran its own Democratic ticket in 1860. At the national convention in Charleston, South Carolina, some southern delegates withdrew when a platform supported by the South was defeated. Stephen Douglas, opposed by the South, had a majority of the votes for president, but could not corral two-thirds, and the convention adjourned to meet again at Baltimore.
At Baltimore, more southerners withdrew and Douglas was nominated. Seceders from the two conventions nominated Breckenridge for president. He ran ahead of Douglas in every southern state, and the split in the Democratic vote assured the election of Lincoln.