How the First Democrat Got Elected

Today's Democratic Party traces its roots to the late 18th century, when a coalition of compatriots led by none other than Thomas Jefferson emerged as one of America's original political parties.

You might think that penning the Declaration of Independence, plus serving as the nation's first secretary of state (under George Washington) and its second vice president (under John Adams), would have made Jefferson a shoo-in for America's highest office. Not so. The Sage of Monticello had plenty of powerful political enemies when he ran for president in 1800, including other founders like John Adams and Alexander Hamilton.

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