The Texas Regulars was a group based in Texas which was formed in 1944 to deny Franklin D. Roosevelt a majority of the Electoral College in the 1944 presidential election.

Background

By the 1940s,

conservative Democrat In American politics, a conservative Democrat is a member of the Democratic Party with conservative political views, or with views that are conservative compared to the positions taken by other members of the Democratic Party. Traditionally, co ...

s in Texas had become increasingly disenchanted with Roosevelt and his

New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...

. They were also unhappy that the US Supreme Court, in '' Smith v. Allwright'' (1944), had disallowed the segregated primaries used by the Democratic Party in Texas and some other states.

History

Attempt at taking over the Texas Democratic Party

The Texas Regulars tried to gain control of the state nominating convention and select a slate of presidential electors who would not vote for Roosevelt. The group's supporters included US Representative Martin Dies Jr., former Texas governor

Dan Moody Daniel James Moody Jr. (June 1, 1893May 22, 1966), was an American lawyer and Democratic politician. Originally from Taylor, Texas, he served as the 30th governor of Texas between 1927 and 1931. At the age of 33, he was elected and took offic ...

, and Senator W. Lee O'Daniel. The Texas Regulars won the first convention, but lost the second convention.

Unpledged electors

This defeat led them to form their own ticket of

unpledged electors In United States presidential elections, an unpledged elector is a person nominated to stand as an elector but who has not pledged to support any particular presidential or vice presidential candidate, and is free to vote for any candidate when el ...

, not bound to any candidate. On election day, they finished third both in Texas and in the national popular vote, with 135,439 votes (0.3% of the vote nationally, and 11.8% of the vote in Texas). They won a majority in only Washington County, Texas. Roosevelt easily carried Texas with 71.4% of the statewide vote, and won national re-election with 432 of 531 Electoral Votes.

Platform

The Texas Regular opposed the New Deal, trade unions and government intervention and supported states' rights and white supremacy: # Restoration of the Democratic Party to the integrity which has been taken away by

Hillman Hillman was a British automobile marque created by the Hillman-Coatalen Company, founded in 1907, renamed the Hillman Motor Car Company in 1910. The company was based in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, England. Before 1907 the company had b ...

Browder Browder may refer to: People *Andrew Browder (1931–2019), American mathematician * Aurelia Browder (1919–1971), African-American civil rights activist * Ben Browder (born 1962), American actor and writer * Bill Browder (born 1964), Hermitage C ...

, and others. # Protection of honest labor unions from foreign-born racketeers who have gained control by blackmail. # Return of state rights which have been destroyed by the Communist-controlled New Deal. # Restoration of the

freedom of education Freedom of education is the right for parents to have their children educated in accordance with their religious and other views, allowing groups to be able to educate children without being impeded by the nation state. Freedom of education is a ...

. # Restoration of the supremacy of the white race, which has been destroyed by the Communist-controlled New Deal. # Restoration of the Bill of Rights instead of rule by regimentation. # Restoration of government by laws instead of government by bureaus. # Restoration of the individual appeal for justice, instead of a politically appointed bureau.

Aftermath

The Texas Regulars disbanded soon afterward, but many of them went on to support the

Dixiecrat The States' Rights Democratic Party (whose members are often called the Dixiecrats) was a short-lived segregationist political party in the United States, active primarily in the South. It arose due to a Southern regional split in opposition t ...

movement of

Strom Thurmond James Strom Thurmond Sr. (December 5, 1902June 26, 2003) was an American politician who represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 to 2003. Prior to his 48 years as a senator, he served as the 103rd governor of South Caro ...

in the

1948 presidential election The following elections occurred in the year 1948. Africa * 1948 Mauritian general election * 1948 South African general election * 1948 Southern Rhodesian general election Asia * 1948 North Korean parliamentary election * 1948 Republic of China ...

. They later became " Eisenhower Democrats" (or supported unpledged electors in presidential elections) in the 1950s, before becoming

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

by 1960s and 1970s.

References

{{Authority control Politics of Texas Factions in the Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) presidential campaigns Anti-communism in the United States White supremacist groups in the United States 1944 establishments in Texas