Shivercrats

The Shivercrats were a conservative faction of the Democratic Party in Texas in the 1950s. The faction was named for Texas’ conservative governor Allan Shivers, who was criticized by liberals within the party — particularly Ralph Yarborough — for his corruption and conservatism.

The term was first used derisively by party liberals, who attacked Shivers and his allies in the party for backing Republican Dwight Eisenhower over the national party's chosen candidate Adlai Stevenson in 1952. The liberals also charged the Shivercrats with defrauding veterans through the General Land Office. The Shivercrats responded with a vicious negative campaign that tried to paint the party liberals as communists.

President Lyndon Johnson at first aligned himself with the Shivercrats (including John Connally), but after becoming president Johnson increasingly sided with Yarborough and the liberals on policy matters. Most of the Shivercrats either left public life or became Republicans after Johnson's presidency, as the liberal-moderate faction was in firm control of the state party after 1970.

ee also

* Veterans Land Board Scandal