Hanna understood that the cities were the key to electoral dominance because people were leaving the farms. The key to the cities was that whole body of immigrants, who had to be lured into the GOP, else the current wisdom would be correct. But he saw a weak spot for the Democrats.
Traditionally, the Democratic Party had been the party of immigrants. But the Populist Party was nativist, anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, agrarian and anti-urban. The marriage with the Democrats might be convenient, but it would create an opening for the Republicans among immigrants whose presence would no longer be welcome in Democratic Party circles.
Hanna sent political organizers, who could speak the languages, into urban immigrant neighborhoods to create German-American, Polish-American, Lithuanian-American and Italian-American Republican clubs. People would be recruited for these clubs even before they became citizens, as the clubs helped indoctrinate immigrants into the American way – and the Republican Party. Once the immigrants were naturalized and could vote, they became part of urban Republican machines, part of the American political process, and they voted Republican. My father’s side of the family was enrolled in an Italian-American Republican Club in Philadelphia when they arrived from Sicily in 1908, and my father’s side is still staunchly Republican.
Hanna’s ploy worked, as the Democratic-Populist alliance failed badly in 1896. Hanna’s new coalition based on immigrants held together until 1932, except for a few dicey spots where there were 3-way races,
What Paul and Bush are trying to do may be the only way to survive the latest wave of immigration. These immigrants come from traditional societies, and the Democrats’ latest enthusiasm for social change may provide an opening.
I actually see what you're saying. But if saving the GOP means jettisoning conservative principle, rather than teaching and preaching conservative principle, then we still lose the republic.
What I fear I see is the GOP embracing the Dem agenda and calling it conservative.
That is an amazing history....I’ve studied American history, but have never heard that before.
Thank you.
The strategy he employed would like still work to the extent in many areas the Republican party does not ask for their vote. I see three main problems with it though.
1. This is a long term strategy costing significant funds upfront giving returns in out years in the form of votes.
2. The history of bad blood between the RNC and conservative activists. Much of the conservative movement has been conditioned to see any outreach to anyone else as an attempt to marginalize them.
3. The media currently serving those groups is hostile to Republicans and will take every chance they have to slander them. Hard to convince people of anything if you introduce yourself as a Republican and they leave the room.