Democratic Party (United States) most lasting impression came from the cartoons of Thomas Nast from 1870 in "Harper's Weekly". Cartoonists followed Nast and used the donkey to represent the Democrats and the elephant to represent the Republicans. In the early 20th century, the traditional symbol of the Democratic Party in Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Ohio was the rooster, as opposed to the Republican eagle. This symbol still appears on Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia ballots. The rooster was adopted as the official symbol of the national Democratic Party. In New York, the Democratic ballot symbol is a five-pointed star. Although both major political
Animal welfare in the United States on World Animal Protection's 2014 Animal Protection Index based on its policies towards animals. In regards to legislative attitudes towards animal welfare, a legislator's political party is the biggest influencer on how they will vote on a proposed animal welfare bill. Legislators representing the democratic party usually are the most in favor of bills that support legislation that improves animal welfare. While states have anti-cruelty statutes in addition to federal laws, many animal farming practices are exempt. This table shows which states have enacted bans on various industrial farming practices considered to be inhumane. According to the USDA, the total