'yaller dogs', and expecting them to turn black-and-tan after the election," with reference to Missouri voters always voting for Democrats, then being surprised at their allegedly invariable corruption. In the 1900 Kentucky gubernatorial contest involving Kentucky Governor William Goebel, Theodore Hallam was criticized at a Democratic Party meeting for first supporting Goebel, then campaigning against him. The critic pointed out that Hallam earlier had said "if the Democrats of Kentucky, in convention assembled, nominated a yaller dog for governor you would vote for him" and asked "why do you now repudiate the nominee of that convention, the Honorable William Goebel?" Hallam responded: "I admit," he stated blandly, "that I said then what I now repeat, namely, that when the Democratic Party of Kentucky, in convention assembled, sees fit in its wisdom to nominate a yaller dog for the governorship of this great state, I will support him—but lower than that ye shall not drag me!" There are indications that the term was in widespread and easily understandable use by 1923. In a letter written in Huntland, Tennessee, by W. L. Moore of Kansas City, Missouri, on May 9, 1923, on the occasion of his 90th birthday, Moore writes: I am a Democrat from inheritance, from prejudice and principle, if the principle suits me. But I have passed the yaller dog degree. See also Blue Dog Coalition, a caucus of United States Congressional Representatives of the Democratic Party who identify as moderates or fiscal conservatives Boll weevil, a segregationist Southern Democrat (used in the mid- and late-20th century) Congressional Progressive Caucus Conservative Democrat Factions in the Democratic Party Solid South Straight-ticket voting References External links http://www.yellowdogdemocrat.com/history.htm http://www.merrycoz.org/voices/bartlett/AMER10.HTM Dogs in popular culture Factions in the Democratic Party (United States) Metaphors referring to dogs Political history of the United States Political terminology of the United States Politics of the Southern United States