The political campaign victory of Thomas Jefferson and his Republicans over the Federalists in 1801 can be described as a win for his party.
It was not simply Jefferson, the candidate, who won the political campaign; the party's success at publicizing their candidate's views, at campaigning, and at sensing what voters wanted also contributed to the victory.
Because the presidency had never before been shifted from one political party to another, there was at first some uncertainty about how this kind of a transition would be handled: For example, would people appointed to positions by the Federalist president, John Adams, keep their jobs? Jefferson was particularly annoyed that Adams had rushed through many appointments just before leaving office.
At first--in his inaugural address--Jefferson indicated a willingness to cooperate with members of the opposition party.
"We are all Republicans--we are all Federalists," he said.
Soon, though, under a certain amount of pressure from members of his party, Jefferson's position began to shift.
Initially uncertain about whether to remove all or none of the Federalists in office, he gradually decided to ensure that his fellow Republicans held about two-thirds of all political jobs.
Federalists were removed from office and replaced with Republicans to achieve this balance.
Those appointed at the last minute by Adams were the first to go.
Jefferson's party was noteworthy for its organization.
This depended, in large part, on the Republican members of Congress, who supplied the party's leadership in Congress and also, through connections in their home states, helped maintain a consistent message for local and state organizations.
Washington, D.
C.
, was a new capital--and a new city--when Jefferson became president, and few congressmen had homes there.
Instead, they lived and ate together in boardinghouses.
Over breakfasts and dinners, they had heated discussions and hammered out the key issues of the day.
The representatives tended to socialize with members of their own party--taverns and boardinghouses tended to attract either Republican or Federalist customers, but seldom both.
It was not simply Jefferson, the candidate, who won the political campaign; the party's success at publicizing their candidate's views, at campaigning, and at sensing what voters wanted also contributed to the victory.
Because the presidency had never before been shifted from one political party to another, there was at first some uncertainty about how this kind of a transition would be handled: For example, would people appointed to positions by the Federalist president, John Adams, keep their jobs? Jefferson was particularly annoyed that Adams had rushed through many appointments just before leaving office.
At first--in his inaugural address--Jefferson indicated a willingness to cooperate with members of the opposition party.
"We are all Republicans--we are all Federalists," he said.
Soon, though, under a certain amount of pressure from members of his party, Jefferson's position began to shift.
Initially uncertain about whether to remove all or none of the Federalists in office, he gradually decided to ensure that his fellow Republicans held about two-thirds of all political jobs.
Federalists were removed from office and replaced with Republicans to achieve this balance.
Those appointed at the last minute by Adams were the first to go.
Jefferson's party was noteworthy for its organization.
This depended, in large part, on the Republican members of Congress, who supplied the party's leadership in Congress and also, through connections in their home states, helped maintain a consistent message for local and state organizations.
Washington, D.
C.
, was a new capital--and a new city--when Jefferson became president, and few congressmen had homes there.
Instead, they lived and ate together in boardinghouses.
Over breakfasts and dinners, they had heated discussions and hammered out the key issues of the day.
The representatives tended to socialize with members of their own party--taverns and boardinghouses tended to attract either Republican or Federalist customers, but seldom both.
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