In U.S. politics, the Democratic Party has been represented by a donkey and the Republican Party by an elephant for decades. But many people don't know how long they've symbolized the two big ...

Most Americans would be surprised to learn that both political symbols – the donkey for Democrats and the elephant for Republicans – were popularized by the same maverick cartoonist: Thomas Nast.

The donkey and elephant became political symbols in the United States through a combination of political satire and popular culture, primarily driven by cartoonists in the 19th century.Here's how ...

A political cartoonist associated the donkey and the elephant with the two major political parties. Accessibility statement Skip to main content. Democracy Dies in Darkness. Subscribe Sign in.