The color blue has become widely associated with the Democratic Party in the United States, but this association is relatively recent. The origins of how blue came to represent Democrats and red came to represent Republicans are uncertain. However, the current red-Republican and blue-Democrat party color scheme solidified in the 2000 presidential election.
The Origins of Party Colors
Political parties in the United States did not always have official colors representing them. However, some colors became loosely associated with certain parties early on:
- In the late 1790s, blue was used on maps to represent areas where the Federalist Party dominated.
- In the 1876 presidential election, states won by Republican Rutherford B. Hayes were colored red on maps, while states won by Democrat Samuel Tilden were colored blue.
- By the 1888 presidential election, red was firmly established as the color of Republicans and blue the color of Democrats on color-coded maps.
These early associations stemmed from the common practice of using red and blue on maps to respectively denote British and French/American forces during the Revolutionary War. Red became associated with “conservative” British forces, while blue was associated with “liberal” American revolutionaries.
The 2000 Election
The modern association of red with Republicans and blue with Democrats solidified during the contentious 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Though networks had rotated between using red and blue for both parties in previous cycles, the colors became fixed when tracking maps on election night 2000 showed a red-Republican, blue-Democrat divide.
The close and contested nature of the 2000 election kept these network maps onscreen for weeks, firmly cementing the red-Republican, blue-Democrat divide in people’s minds. Subsequent elections continued using this color scheme.
Making Blue “Official”
Though blue was informally associated with Democrats since 2000, the party did not officially adopt blue as its color until the 2004 presidential election:
- In 2004, the Democratic National Convention featured a blue logo and stage design.
- John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee, regularly featured blue in his campaign materials.
- Since 2004, blue has been widely embraced and used by Democratic candidates, party committees, and supporters.
Republicans did not make a similar official declaration cementing red as their color, but have widely embraced it in practice.
Why Blue for Democrats?
There are a few theories as to why blue came to represent the Democratic Party:
- As mentioned, blue has historical associations with liberalism and progressivism, fitting the Democrats’ platform.
- Blue is thought to conjure feelings of tranquility and reliability, reflecting Democratic positions.
- Incumbent presidents already used red on their campaign materials, so challengers like Bill Clinton adopted blue.
- Networks randomly assigned blue to Democrats in 2000, and it stuck.
Geographic Party Colors
Beyond the national party colors, some observe geographic patterns in blue and red states:
| Blue States | Red States |
|---|---|
| Located on the coasts | Located in the South, Great Plains, and Mountain West |
| Urban | Rural |
| Higher population density | Lower population density |
| Wealthier | Poorer |
This geographic division reflects fundamental cultural and economic differences between core Democratic and Republican voters.
Purple States and Districts
While red and blue are useful shorthand for Republican and Democrat, many states and districts are highly competitive “purple” areas where votes are split:
- Swing states like Florida, Ohio, and Virginia regularly switch between Democrat and Republican.
- Suburban districts are increasingly purple battlegrounds.
- Only a few states, like Wyoming and Vermont, are deeply red or blue across all recent election cycles.
Recognizing purple subidivisions resists oversimplifying a complex political landscape down to just two colors.
Third Party Colors
Beyond Republicans and Democrats, U.S. third parties have their own associated colors:
- Green is associated with the Green Party and environmentalism.
- Yellow is sometimes used by the Libertarian Party.
- Purple represents the Working Families Party and independent politics.
However, third parties receive few votes nationally, so red and blue remain dominant.
International Party Colors
Party colors differ internationally:
| Country | Main Left-Wing Party | Main Right-Wing Party |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Red | Blue |
| Canada | Red | Blue |
| Australia | Red | Blue |
| Germany | Red | Black |
Blue representing right-wing parties and red representing left-wing parties is more common globally. The U.S. scheme is reversed.
Recent Blue Dominance
In recent national elections, blue has become the dominant color, with Democrats winning more votes and Electoral College victories:
- Democrats have won 7 of the last 8 presidential popular votes.
- Democrats hold a slim Congressional majority.
- Most governorships and state legislatures remain Republican.
This blue tilt partly reflects Trump-era Republican unpopularity, as well as growing youth and nonwhite electorates favoring Democrats.
Conclusion
While party colors were not fixed historically, blue and red now clearly represent Democrats and Republicans. This divide formally solidified amid the 2000 election, but has roots in Revolutionary War symbolism. Blue conveys a sense of reliability that appeals to Democrats. The geographic and cultural differences between red rural and blue urban America reinforce party divides. Blue dominates at the presidential level currently, but Republicans still hold many state and local seats. Party colors provide useful shorthand amid political complexity.
