Thurmond switched parties ahead of the 1964 United States presidential election, saying that the Democratic Party no longer represented people like him, and endorsed Republican nominee Barry Goldwater, who also opposed the Civil Rights Act.

What were the Dixiecrats opposed to?

The Party opposed racial integration and wanted to retain Jim Crow laws and white supremacy in the face of possible federal intervention. Its members were referred to as "Dixiecrats", a portmanteau of "Dixie", referring to the Southern United States, and "Democrat".

Can a senator switch parties at any time?

Party-switching in the United States Congress (for example, from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, or vice-versa) is relatively rare. During the period between 1947 and 1997, only 20 members of the House of Representatives and Senate switched parties.