The idea of using colours to denote political parties was popularized by TV news broadcasts, which used colour-coded maps during presidential elections. However, there was no uniformity in colour choices, with different media outlets using different colours. Some followed the British tradition of using blue for conservatives (Republicans) and red for liberals (Democrats). However, during the 2000 U.S. presidential election—and the lengthy battle to determine the winner—prominent news sources denoted Republicans as red and Democrats as blue, and these associations have persisted.