Changes

McCarthy had his name entered in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in 1944, opposing a well-entrenched incumbent Republican, Alexander Wiley. The absentee war hero ran a strong second, making a name for himself statewide and making himself available for the 1946 Senate contest.  

McCarthy had his name entered in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in 1944, opposing a well-entrenched incumbent Republican, Alexander Wiley. The absentee war hero ran a strong second, making a name for himself statewide and making himself available for the 1946 Senate contest.  

Why McCarthy suddenly changed parties was never explained, but prospects for ambitious Wisconsin politicians were dim inside the poorly organized Democratic party, for most [[New Deal]]ers supported the state's [[Progressive party#LaFollete creates a third party in 1924|Progressive party]].  During the war, however, that party collapsed, torn apart between its [[New Deal]] domestic liberalism, and its intensely isolationist opposition to Roosevelt's foreign policy. Increasingly out of touch with Wisconsin, its leader [[Robert LaFollette]] looked to his family's past glories and made the blunder of trying for reelection to the Senate in 1946 as a Republican.   

Why McCarthy suddenly changed parties was never explained, but prospects for ambitious Wisconsin politicians were dim inside the poorly organized Democratic party, for most [[New Deal]]ers supported the state's [[Progressive party#LaFollete creates a third party in 1924|Progressive party]].  During the war, however, that party collapsed, torn apart between its [[New Deal]] domestic liberalism, and its intensely isolationist opposition to Roosevelt's foreign policy. Increasingly out of touch with Wisconsin, its leader [[Robert LaFollette Jr.]] looked to his family's past glories and made the blunder of trying for reelection to the Senate in 1946 as a Republican.   

"Tail Gunner Joe," as his posters called him, endlessly crisscrossed Wisconsin while LaFollette remained in Washington, offered an alternative in the Republican primary to old guard Republicans who had opposed the LaFollettes for a half century.  McCarthy brilliantly captured the frustrations citizens felt about massive strikes, unstable economy, price controls, severe shortages of housing and meat, and the growing threat of from the far left in the [[Congress of Industrial Organizations|CIO]].  He nipped LaFollette in the primary. The slogan “Had Enough?—Vote Republican” gave the Republicans a landslide all across the North, electing a new junior senator from Wisconsin.

"Tail Gunner Joe," as his posters called him, endlessly crisscrossed Wisconsin while LaFollette remained in Washington, offered an alternative in the Republican primary to old guard Republicans who had opposed the LaFollettes for a half century.  McCarthy brilliantly captured the frustrations citizens felt about massive strikes, unstable economy, price controls, severe shortages of housing and meat, and the growing threat of from the far left in the [[Congress of Industrial Organizations|CIO]].  He nipped LaFollette in the primary. The slogan “Had Enough?—Vote Republican” gave the Republicans a landslide all across the North, electing a new junior senator from Wisconsin.