Why did the Democratic Party choose a donkey for its mascot?

Evidently, the donkey is not an official symbol of the Democratic Party. That said, it is widely used and recognized. And the history of this association is very old. In 1828, Andrew Jackson was labeled a "Jackass" by his opponents. read more

It didn’t choose it. The democratic donkey and the republican elephant are creations of the late nineteenth century cartoonist Thomas Nast. Nast was a strong supporter of the Republican Party and choose the elephant to show strength and wisdom. The donkey, or as Nast phased it a jackass, was Intended as an insult being shiftless and untrustworthy. read more

Nast, a life-long Republican who'd become frustrated with his party, thought Republicans might fall for the scare tactic. He drew another cartoon for Harper's, again using a donkey to represent Democrats and adding an animal to symbolize Republicans. read more