AP Gov Chapter 5 Vocab

caucus

party regulars meeting in small groups voting on whether or not to support a candidate

coalition

a group united for a cause

critical election

an election that reveals sharp, lasting changes in loyalties to political parties

dealignment

a trend where a large portion of the electorate abandons its previous political party without finding a new one

Democrat-Republicans

led by Thomas Jefferson, characterized as the party of the "common man". Opposed the Federalists

divided government

one party controls Congress and the other controls the White House

elites

older or most influential members of a political party

Grand Old Party (GOP)

the Republican party

ideological party

a party that follows a prescribed ideology (ex. Socialist party )

minority parties

third parties

New Deal coalition

FDR's followers in the 1930s, including labor unions and African Americans. Elected FDR 4 times

party chairperson

the chief strategist of a political party

party convention

political convention held every 4 years in the US to choose the presidential nominee for each party

platform

list of principles or plans that a political party hopes to enact

realignments

large groups of voters switching allegiances from one party to another other divisive issues or in times of crisis

single-issue parties

party created to solve a particular political concern or advance a particular policy

spoiler

third party candidate who does not win the election, but causes another candidate to lose

superdelegates

an unelected delegate who is free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination at the party's national convention

ticket splitting

process where a voter chooses a candidate from one party for one office and the other party for another office

Whigs

political party who opposed the Jackson Democrats in the 1930s