Conservative Party (United States)

Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Congressional caucuses Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Social media Miscellaneous Other In the United States, the Conservative Party refers to a collection of state-level parties that operate independently and advocate for conservative principles.

[citation needed] In the late 19th century, a new Conservative Party of Virginia formed to oppose Reconstruction, uniting former Democrats, Whigs, and moderate Republicans.

Led by Alexander H. H. Stuart and Raleigh T. Daniel, the party won majorities in the Virginia General Assembly in 1869.

Though divided on black suffrage, the party supported economic reforms and established a segregated public school system.

However, internal divisions over state debt repayment led to the formation of the Readjuster Party, which ultimately defeated the Conservatives.

[citation needed] In the Reconstruction era after the Civil War, former Whigs in several Southern states formed parties with the "Conservative" or "Democratic-Conservative" name.

A convention of the State Tax Union was convened in Columbia on September 10 to prepare for the upcoming election and address President Ulysses S. Grant's comments on the Ku Klux Klan.

In 1965, conservative author and commentator William F. Buckley Jr. ran for Mayor of New York City, securing 13.4% of the vote.

[citation needed] In 1963, several candidates ran as Conservatives for the New Jersey Assembly in Essex and Bergen counties, reflecting a nationwide split within the Republican Party.

In 1992, a separate New Jersey Conservative Party was founded by Tom Blomquist, who had previously run in the 1989 gubernatorial election.

In 2024, the party achieved official recognition after Delaware residents registered as Conservative and met the state’s qualification threshold.

[30] McCann secured his spot on the ballot by gathering 65,000 signatures but ultimately finished third in the general election, receiving 4.23% of the popular vote.