The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The Democratic Party’s official color is blue, which serves as a visual representation of the party and helps differentiate it from the Republican Party, which uses red as its color.
The History of Blue as the Democratic Party Color
The association between the color blue and the Democratic Party emerged in the late 1990s to early 2000s. Prior to this time period, neither major party used an official color. The use of red and blue to represent the two parties likely started with television news coverage of the 2000 presidential election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore.
During this contested election, many news channels began using red and blue infographics to visually distinguish between Republican and Democratic states on election maps. Red was associated with the Republicans and blue with the Democrats. This color-coding made it easier for viewers to see at a glance which candidate was ahead as results came in.
The choice of blue for the Democrats and red for the Republicans was somewhat arbitrary at the time. However, the color associations stuck. From that election onward, blue became increasingly affiliated with the Democrats and it is now an official part of the party’s branding and visual identity.
The Meaning and Symbolism of Blue
In addition to differentiating the Democratic Party from the Republican Party, the color blue carries symbolism that connects with many of the ideals associated with the Democratic Party.
Some of the characteristics associated with the color blue include:
- Calmness
- Peace
- Trust
- Intelligence
- Stability
- Unity
- Conservatism
The Democratic Party aims to represent values such as unity, intelligence, stability, peace, calmness, and conservatism. The cool, calming nature of the color blue evokes these ideals.
In contrast, the passionate, energetic color red suits the Republican Party well in representing ideas such as strength, determination, aggression, and boldness.
Blue in the Democratic Party Logo and Materials
The Democratic Party has fully incorporated blue into its visual branding and materials:
- The official Democratic Party logo uses blue in its design.
- Blue is used prominently on the Democrats.org website.
- Candidates running as Democrats often use blue on their campaign materials.
- Blue is used on Democratic Party merchandise and apparel.
- Blue is used as the backdrop for speeches, debates, and events held by the Democratic Party.
From social media graphics to podium signage, blue is consistently used to reinforce the Democratic Party’s branding. Other colors are occasionally used as accents, but blue maintains dominance.
Blue Color Codes Used by Democrats
So exactly what shade of blue is used by the Democrats? The official blue of the Democratic Party is PANTONE 286 C, which is equivalent to the RGB color value: 0, 85, 164 and the hex color code: #0055A4.
There are also lighter and darker variants used:\
| Blue Shade | RGB Value | Hex Value |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Blue (Default) | 0, 85, 164 | #0055A4 |
| Democratic Light Blue | 33, 150, 243 | #2196F3 |
| Democratic Navy Blue | 0, 24, 168 | #0018A8 |
On the web, Democrats generally rely on the hex color codes for blue rather than entering in RGB values. The official Democratic Blue hex code #0055A4 is the one most commonly seen.
Use of Blue by Well-Known Democrats
Many prominent Democratic politicians and leaders embrace the use of blue:
- President Joe Biden’s campaign used blue backgrounds for speeches, ads, and other materials.
- Vice President Kamala Harris wears a blue suit on the cover of her memoir “The Truths We Hold.”
- Hillary Clinton wore a royal blue pantsuit when accepting the Democratic nomination for President in 2016.
- The Obamas decorated the White House in blue on the night of President Obama’s farewell address.
- Nancy Pelosi regularly wears blue outfits while carrying out her duties as Speaker of the House.
Likewise, Democratic Party committees and organizations uniformly incorporate blue in their visual branding:
- The Democratic Governors Association website features a blue banner at the top.
- Democratic National Committee logos use the official Democratic blue hue.
- State Democratic Party chapters, such as Florida Democrats, Minnesota DFL, and Ohio Democrats use blue in website design and logos.
Blue in Other US Political Parties
While blue is now firmly established as the signature color of the Democratic Party, it is also used by other smaller political parties in the United States with similar leanings, including:
- Green Party – Uses a deeper forest green color but light blue for accents.
- Working Families Party – Uses light blue backgrounds on its website and light blue accents on white backgrounds for logo use.
- Libertarian Party – Sometimes uses blue in combination with its classic gold color palette.
However, none of these third parties rely on blue to the same extent the Democrats do. Blue remains quintessentially tied to the Democratic Party in American politics.
Use of Blue by Democratic Allies and Partners
Blue is such a defining color for Democrats that many partner organizations and ally groups also embrace it:
- Pro-choice groups defending reproductive rights often use Democratic blue.
- Labor unions may use blue backgrounds when endorsing Democratic candidates.
- Educational and teachers’ organizations aligning with the Democrats frequently display light blue shades on materials.
- Left-leaning media outlets use blue hues complementary to the Democratic party branding.
When groups want to visually signal an alliance with the Democrats and progressive policies, incorporating blue is an effective way to do so.
Conclusions
In summary, while blue was not historically associated with either party, it has emerged over the last two decades as the signature color of the Democratic Party. It offers the Democrats a simple way to convey their branding and differentiate from the red Republican Party in the minds of voters.
The cool, calming nature of blue also reinforces many Democratic ideals like peace, intelligence, unity, and stability. The official blue color for Democrats is Pantone 286 C, but vibrant lighter blues and deeper navies are also sometimes used. Prominent Democratic politicians, organizations, and partners extensively use the color blue as a key visual cue.
So whether it’s a social media avatar, campaign sign, website, or logo, expect to see Democrats continue their strong embrace of the color blue in the digital and physical realms.
