Mascots/Logos of Political Parties & Their History/Meaning

The Donkey

The Democratic Party's mascot is the donkey. In 1828 during Andrew Jackson's presidential campaign, his opponents called him a donkey. Jackson was amused by this and he included a picture of a donkey in his campaign posters. He defeated opponent John Quincy Adams and became the first Democratic president. Later in the 1870s, cartoon artist Thomas Nast popularized the donkey as the Democratic Party's mascot. 

The Elephant

The Republican Party's mascot is the elephant. The elephant was first featured in a political cartoon, but it was not until Thomas Nast used the cartoon that the mascot became more known. Nast featured the cartoon in an 1874 Harper's Weekly publication. It mocked the New York Herald for criticizing the rumor of President Grant's bid for a third term. Nast's cartoon portrayed different interest groups as animals, with an elephant labeled as the Republican Party standing at the edge of a pit. He continued to use the elephant as a symbol for the Republican Party in his later cartoons and so, the elephant became associated with the Republican Party.

The Porcupine

The porcupine is the official mascot of the Libertarian Party. It was chosen in 2006 when party leaders decided against using the Statue of Liberty. The porcupine was previously associated with the Libertarian Party's Free State Project. This project aimed to move at least 20,000 libertarians to states with low populations in hopes of turning those states into a stronghold of libertarian ideas. The porcupine also represents libertarian ideologies. Their aggression, when confronted by a predator, is supposed to represent libertarians' support for individual rights. The porcupine's low maintenance lifestyle is also associated with the libertarian belief in minimum state intervention. 

Green Party 

The Green Party's logo depicts Earth blooming in a flower. This embodies the party's emphasis on environmentalism and their support for saving the planet while encouraging growth/development. The formal font is used to create the feeling of authority. 

Constitution Party

The Constitution Party's logo features a bald eagle, the American flag, and stars. These all represent common American symbols which, in this case, are aimed to demonstrate the party's traditionalist views. The Constitution Party is a religious conservative party centering their views around the words in the Constitution. The Constitution is the basis for law in America, hence the use of common American symbols in the party's logo.

Works Cited

Bonigala, Mash. "Top 10 USA Political Party Logos." SpellBrand. SpellBrand®, 2016. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

By Heat Street Staff | 1:07 Pm, June 13, 2016. "Why the Prickly Porcupine Is the Perfect Mascot for the Libertarian Party." Heat Street. N.p., 22 July 2016. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.

Nix, Elizabeth. "Election 101:How Did the Republican and Democratic Parties Get Their Animal Symbols?" History.com. A&E Television Networks, 07 July 2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.