The Locofocos, originally known as the Equal Rights Party, were a faction of the Democratic Party active from 1835 to the mid-1840s. Formed in New York City, they opposed the powerful Tammany Hall and advocated for laissez-faire economics and opposition to monopolies. The name "Locofoco" came from a type of match they used to relight a meeting disrupted by Tammany Hall supporters. Although influential, particularly during the Flour Riot of 1837, they never controlled the Democratic Party nationally and declined after 1840. Notable members included William Leggett, Walt Whitman, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
