Politics

How U.S. Political Parties Got Their Colors

Why are Democrats blue, and Republicans red?

How U.S. Political Parties Got Their Colors
Sue Ogrocki / AP
SMS

The midterms are just months away, and for many politicos the options in November seem very black and white: either an endorsement of the Democrat’s governing over the last two years — or a rejection of it — and a vote for new Republican leadership. 

But as you follow along leading up to November the divide you may hear most about is red versus blue. 

So why do we associate those two colors with Democrats and Republicans?