While voter participation was high during the Gilded Age, the two parties often had few substantive differences on the issues. Instead, ethnic, religious, and geographic divisions were often the key factors that determined party loyalty. Identify some of the types of people who consistently voted for the Democratic party.

Both parties' electoral cores are made up of two comparable but separate groupings, with a youthful, more philosophically diverse population giving vital — though not always constant — support.

Almost a quarter of Liberals (32%) identify as Solid Liberals, while roughly a fifth (21%) identify as members of the Faith as well as Family Left, a little more culturally orthodox grouping than Solid Progressives. Throw in the Next Generation Left (18%), a younger, more economically moderate group, and you have 7 and out ten Americans who affiliate with or lean towards its Democrats.

lincoln won 212 electoral votes to mcclellan's 21 votes, and lincoln beat mcclellan. is the main reason lincoln won in 1864.