Very Condensed Republican Party History:
On February 28, 1854, in Ripon, Wisconsin, Major Alvan E. Bovay called a meeting of the Democrats, Whigs, and Free Soilers in his community, who were brought together by a common belief – that slavery was unconstitutional.
On March 20, 1854, a new party was established, to be named the Republican Party.That year, in Michigan, Iowa, Ohio, Maine, Massachusetts, New York and other Northern states, citizens of like mind met to form Republican groups.
The first Republican convention was held in Jackson, Michigan, on July 6, 1854.
That year:
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The Party won 11 United States Senate seats - controlling the House - and by 1856, the Republican Party was organized nationally.
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The National Executive Committee was formed, and held a national nominating convention in Philadelphia.
The Party name was in flux, until ThomasJefferson's followers opted to be called "Republicans", although the name was officially adopted later, in Michigan, in 1854.
The elephant became the symbol of the Republican Party, after it was drawn by cartoonist Thomas Nast, and appeared in Harpers’ Weekly, on November 7, 1874.
Colorado Republican History Highlights:
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Colorado entered statehood in 1876 - as the ultimate swing state in one of the most contentious presidential elections in U.S. history.
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In 1876, the Centennial State, and its 3 electoral votes, went Republican, swinging the vote to Rutherford B. Hayes.
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Over the next decades, Colorado almost always voted Republican - voting only a few times, since 1920, for a Democrat Party presidential candidate.
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Colorado residents traditionally, did not like the federal government dictating policy, especially on mining and grazing and generally did not favor unions, which moved them toward their Republican Party support.
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Though the tide has been turning, in the last few elections, Colorado has traditionally been a “purple” state.
Arapahoe County Leadership, 2019-2021
