In the 1948 presidential election, Strom Thurmond, governor of South Carolina, and other southern Democrats challenged Democratic President Harry Truman for several reasons:
1. They were troubled by the direction Truman and the national party were taking in supporting integration and civil rights. This issue was a significant concern for southern Democrats who opposed the push for racial equality.
2. Truman resisted efforts by southern Democrats to continue the policies of the New Deal initiated by Roosevelt. This resistance created tension and disagreement within the party, leading to some Democrats seeking alternative candidates.
3. Southern Democrats did not like Truman's response to the aggression against the United States' ally, South Korea. Truman's handling of foreign policy matters, particularly in the context of the Korean War, did not align with the views of some southern Democrats.
Overall, the challenges posed by Strom Thurmond and other southern Democrats against Truman in the 1948 presidential election stemmed from disagreements on civil rights, New Deal policies, and foreign policy decisions. These factors contributed to the split within the Democratic Party and the emergence of alternative candidates seeking to represent differing views within the party.
