Region Politics

New England is sometimes referred to as the last stronghold of the white politician in America. Where other regions of the country have seen the rise of great diversity in politics among blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and women, white male politicians continue to dominate in the region. Still, that is not to say the politics of New England is not diverse.

Although New England might be known most recently for producing Democratic Party presidential candidates, it also was home to politicians involved with the founding of the Republican Party and conservative viewpoints are just as prevalent as liberal. Overall, New England has a reputation for political thought that is somewhat independent.

Republican

Republican politics in Maine date back to the very beginning of the GOP. Abraham Lincoln's first vice president was from Maine, one of the founders of the party. Margaret Chase Smith of Skowhegan, Maine, was the first woman elected to the House of Representatives and then the Senate. With typical Yankee independence, she was the first Republican senator to speak out about Senator Joe McCarthy in the 1950s.

The northern part of New England with its rural character has long been a home for conservative thought. In particular, the newspaper the Union Leader in Manchester, New Hampshire published by conservative firebrand William Loeb, was famous for its editorial stance. Its editorials attacking the wife of 1972 Democratic presidential candidate Edmund Muskie, governor of Maine, prompted an emotional reaction by the politician many claim might have cost him the election.

Democrat

In more recent times, the urbanized southern portion of New England-- particularly Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island--has produced a number of Democratic politicians. During the 2004 presidential campaign, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Joe Leiberman of Connecticut, and Howard Dean of Vermont were three of the leading contenders. In 1988, Massachusetts's Michael Dukakis was the party's candidate.

Although all being Democrats, again Yankee independence prevails. While current United States Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts is considered the most liberal member of Congress, Leiberman is anything but. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is known as a progressive and has strong support among Republicans where he is only the second Democrat to be elected to the Senate from the state.

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