Purge of 1938
The Purge of 1938 refers to a significant political maneuver undertaken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his efforts to solidify control over the Democratic Party during a time of ideological conflict. Following his reelection in 1936 and facing resistance from conservative Democrats who opposed his New Deal reforms, Roosevelt sought to eliminate anti-New Deal elements from his party. In a notable fireside chat in June 1938, he announced his intention to support liberal candidates in congressional primaries, hoping to reshape the party's direction.
Despite his efforts, including campaigning against several incumbent conservative Democrats, Roosevelt's strategy largely backfired. His intervention in primaries met with considerable resistance, leading to failures in critical midwestern and southern contests. The backlash from these primaries not only stiffened conservative opposition but also intensified the existing ideological divide within the party. Following the November elections, Republicans made significant gains, and the Democrats lost a substantial number of seats, resulting in a conservative coalition controlling both houses of Congress. Ultimately, Roosevelt's purge strategy diminished his political influence and hindered his New Deal initiatives.
Purge of 1938
The Event President Roosevelt’s attempt to eradicate conservative Democratic senators and representatives in the 1938 congressional primaries
Dates June-December, 1938
President Franklin D. Roosevelt wanted political party realignment along ideological lines, advocating defeat for select conservative Democratic senators and representatives who had rejected his U.S. Supreme Court and executive reorganization plans and thwarted other New Deal reform measures.
In 1936, President Roosevelt was reelected easily to a second term and helped the Democrats extend their control of Congress. Conservative Democrats, however, aligned with Republicans to resist Roosevelt’s second New Deal reforms, block the expansion of executive authority, and reject his attempt to liberalize the U.S. Supreme Court.
Roosevelt regarded the 1938 primaries as an opportune time to remove anti-New Deal Democratic senators and representatives from his party. In a June, 1938, fireside chat, he announced his plan to campaign for liberals in certain Democratic congressional primaries. Roosevelt, who pictured the primaries as ideological contests between New Dealers and conservatives, endorsed twenty-one of the thirty-one incumbent Democratic senators seeking reelection. Roosevelt’s controversial strategy met considerable resistance from the media.
Roosevelt targeted several conservative Democrats for defeat. He succeeded in ousting House Rules Committee chairperson John O’Connor of New York, but his party realignment strategy failed in midwestern and southern Senate primaries. The Roosevelt administration campaigned in Iowa for Representative Otha Wearin, but incumbent Guy Gillette prevailed. Roosevelt stumped against conservative Democrats Walter F. George of Georgia, Ellison Smith of South Carolina, and Millard Tydings of Maryland, backing Georgia attorney Lance Camp, South Carolina Governor Olin Johnston, and Maryland Representative Daniel Lewis. The three conservatives, however, won those primaries.
Roosevelt’s political realignment effort backfired. A belated start, inept strategy planning, tactical errors, and split state party organizations stymied Roosevelt’s attempt to develop a strong liberal party. The American electorate rejected his intervention in state primaries. The primaries stiffened conservative resistance and intensified the ideological party split.
After the November, 1938, elections, the Democrats retained comfortable majorities with 69 Senate and 260 House seats. The Republicans, however, gained 7 Senate and 80 House seats. The Senate configuration after the election in 1938 included 23 Republicans and 20 to 30 anti-New Deal Democrats. The Democrats lost 72 House seats, mostly northeastern and midwestern liberals. The Republicans nearly doubled their strength to 169 seats.
Impact
The conservative coalition controlled the Senate and House after the 1938 elections. In 1939, Congress passed the Hatch Act, regulating the political involvement of federal employees in primaries and elections. Roosevelt’s purge strategy diminished his personal clout and weakened his New Deal programs.
Bibliography
Daynes, Byron W., William D. Pederson, and Thomas Phillip Wolf. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress: The New Deal and Its Aftermath. Armonk, N.Y.: M. E. Sharpe, 2001.
Patterson, James T. Congressional Conservatism and the New Deal. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1967.
Porter, David L. Congress and the Waning of the New Deal. Port Washington, N.Y.: Kennikat, 1980.
Savage, Sean J. Roosevelt: The Party Leader. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1991.