Its leader, Archibald Peake, stressed that the LDU represented 'something not so sharply set as Labourism, not so dull in its edge as conservatism'.
At the 1906 election, the LDU won 10 percent of the vote and nine of 42 seats and continued to support the Price Labor government.
When Price died in 1909, Labor as the largest single party in the lower house demanded it retain the premiership in their coalition, however Peake refused.
Invited to form a ministry, he filled it with LDU members and became premier, treasurer and minister of education.
John Verran led Labor to South Australia's first majority government with 22 of 42 seats from a 49.1 percent primary vote at the 1910 election.