California Democratic Party history

By 1857, the party had split into the Lecompton and Anti-Lecompton factions.

During the 1859 general elections, Lecompton Democrats voted for Milton Latham, who had briefly lived in the American South, as their nominee for governor.

In 1894, Democrat James Budd was elected to the governorship, and the Democratic Party attempted to make good on their promises to reform the booming railroad industry.

In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president, and the Power balance between the Republicans and the Democrats in California equalized.

Franklin D. Roosevelt handily captured California in all four of his victories, winning by a larger majority of the popular vote in 1936 than any candidate has since.

Elizabeth Carlson Snyder, who later went on to be the first woman chair of the State Central Committee, served as the 1938 platform committee chair.

After the 1948 election, Steinberg began organizing young people he had met on the campaign.

The YDs were a powerful group in the party, helping to create the California Democratic Council, a statewide organization of Democratic clubs founded in 1953.

In 1961, Waxman enrolled at UCLA with a strong interest in politics fueled by the civil rights movement.

Starting with the double digit victory of Bill Clinton, this became the first time a Democrat had carried the state of California since 1964.

In 1968, then CYD President Berman attended the divisive, tear gas-filled Democratic National Convention in Chicago as a delegate for Senator Eugene McCarthy, champion of the anti-Vietnam War forces.

Steinberg later became the first table grape grower to sign an historic contract with Cesar Chavez and his United Farm Workers in 1970.

After Nixon's 1974 resignation, Gerald Ford won California but lost the election.

His popularity helped his successor, George H.W. Bush, win in 1988—the last time a Republican would carry California.

Democratic candidates have won decisively in every election since 1992 by performing well in the most populous areas.

In 1994, California Democrats suffered a setback by losing the governor's race for the fourth time in a row, and the Democrats became a minority in the State Assembly.

1998 was a banner year for California Democrats.

In 2000, CYD President Ed Espinoza organized more than 300 Young Democrats for the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.

In 2008, the California Young Democrats played a pivotal role in the election of President Barack Obama.