Political Parties Exam II Final Version

Party identification (Party ID)

A psychological attachment to a political party; forms early, is stable over time, and is the single best predictor of how someone votes.

5 sources of Party ID

Family, peer group, primary and secondary school, life cycle effects, generational effects.

Strongest source of Party ID

Family: children tend to adopt their parents' party, especially when both parents share it.

Life cycle effects

Party attachment strengthens with age; young people are least attached, older voters most loyal.

Generational effects

Major events in a cohort's formative years shape its party ID for life (e.g., Depression/New Deal generation became Democrats).

5 characteristics of Party ID

Psychological ties to parties; parties give policy cues; stable over time; best predictor of vote; strong ID increases political involvement.

Policy cues

Signals from a party that tell members what position to take, so they don't have to research every issue.

Why turnout matters so much to elections

Party ID is stable and members vote for their own party's candidate, so whichever side gets its people out usually wins.

Effect of strong Party ID

Greater political involvement: more volunteering for campaigns and higher turnout.

Myth of the independent voter

About 40% claim to be independent, but 15% are closet Democrats, 13% closet Republicans, and only 12% are pure independents.

Pure independents (12%)

Least engaged, least interested, least knowledgeable about politics, and least likely to vote.

Independents and age/education

Independence correlates with age and education; 58% of young people claimed independence in 1968; about 34% without a HS degree and 38% of college grads claim it.

The American Voter

1960 study by Angus Campbell et al. (1950s data) that divided voters into four categories: ideologues, group benefits, nature of the times, no issue content.

Ideologues (American Voter)

12% of voters (32% of college grads, 5% grade school or less); judge candidates on a coherent liberal-conservative framework.

Group benefits (American Voter)

42% of voters; 'ideology by proxy'; vote based on what helps groups they belong to (union, church, race).

Nature of the times (American Voter)

24% of voters; vote based on how conditions affect them personally (economy, war).

No issue content (American Voter)

22% of voters (10% of college grads, 26% grade school or less); unresponsive to political cues.

American Voter categories over time

Ideologues increased (more college education), group benefits declined, nature of the times increased, no issue content stayed the same.

4 factors that influence voter turnout

Excitement of the election, competitiveness of the election, stake in the system, campaign mobilization.

Who votes (5 traits)

The more educated, older people, public sector employees, the socially engaged, and married people.

Education and voting

Strongest predictor of turnout; about 75% of college graduates vote.

Age and voting example

Older people vote more, so Social Security is rarely up for debate while student loans are.

Why public sector employees vote more

They have a direct stake in who controls government (their jobs, pay, budgets).

Gender and turnout

Women vote at higher rates than men (since 1980), partly because more women attend college.

4 causes of nationalization of American politics

Mass media, government (growth of federal role), emergence of national leaders, greater focus on issues/ideology.

Mass media and nationalization

National radio/TV exposed people to events beyond their community, e.g., made civil rights a national issue rather than 'not in my backyard.'

Emergence of national leaders

National media lets politicians build national followings beyond their districts, e.g., AOC.

Service path (bottom up)

Republican model of strengthening the national party: aggressive fundraising, organizational improvements, better candidate recruitment, changing party image.

Procedural reform (top down)

Democratic model of strengthening the national party: greater transparency, more open process, more inclusive representation (rules for nominations).

Ray Bliss and Bill Brock

RNC chairs (1965-69, 1977-81) who built the service path: direct-mail fundraising, candidate recruitment and training.

National party chair

Usually chosen by the president (if the party holds the White House) or party leaders; a president-picked chair has limited independence.

Superdelegates

Party leaders (members of Congress, governors, state party leaders, DNC members) with automatic unpledged seats at the Democratic convention; Republicans do not use them.

Hunt Commission

1982 Democratic commission that created superdelegates (first used 1984) to restore party leaders' influence after the open-primary reforms.

4 responsibilities of state parties

Calling/organizing party conventions, drafting platforms, supervising campaign fund spending, selecting presidential electors and some national convention delegates.

Byrd Machine

Rural-based Democratic machine led by Harry F. Byrd Sr. that ruled Virginia from the 1930s to the 1960s.

What the Byrd Machine controlled

Local offices: courts, school boards, tax collection, and election boards.

Byrd Machine reputation

Competent management and a restricted electorate: balanced the budget ('pay as you go') while keeping people from voting (poll tax).

Byrd Machine turnout strategy

Did not mobilize voters broadly; turned out only its own supporters, keeping the electorate small and predictable.

Massive Resistance

Byrd-led Virginia opposition to school desegregation after Brown v. Board (1954), including closing schools.

5 causes of the Byrd Machine's demise

Baker v. Carr (1962), Voting Rights Act (1965), national Democratic Party reforms, changing electorate, conservative (Republican) alternative.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Supreme Court case allowing courts to hear malapportionment claims, leading to 'one person, one vote'; ended rural overrepresentation that sustained the Byrd Machine.

Voting Rights Act (1965)

Federal law in which the federal government stepped in to ensure minorities could register and vote; broke the restricted electorate.

Conservative alternative (Virginia)

Conservatives moved to the Republican Party; Virginia was one of the first Southern states to go Republican (president from 1952; Gov. Linwood Holton 1969).

Urban machine

Local party in a big city that gave immigrants jobs, help and services in exchange for votes (e.g., Tammany Hall, Daley's Chicago).

4 causes of the decline of urban machines

Political reforms (civil service), economic changes (better jobs), federal social safety net (New Deal), decline in immigration.

Civil service reform and machines

Merit hiring replaced patronage, so machines could no longer hand out government jobs (Pendleton Act 1883 federally).

Federal safety net and machines

FDR's New Deal programs (e.g., Social Security 1935) replaced the favors machines had provided.

Decline in immigration and machines

Immigrants were the machine's base; restriction (Immigration Act of 1924) shrank the group needing machine help.

Professional activist

First allegiance is to the party; will compromise to back an electable candidate.

Amateur activist

Issue-oriented purist; support depends on the candidate's agenda and is withdrawn if the party ignores their issues.

Who becomes a party activist

People from political families, the better educated and wealthier, those with a policy agenda, and the ideologically driven.

4 incentives for activism

Material benefits (jobs), social incentives (shared values/company), issue-based incentives, mixed incentives.

3 ways parties use issues

Mobilize and motivate supporters, expand their base, project a desired image.

Democratic coalition

Northeast and West Coast, urban voters, African Americans, Hispanics, LGBTQ, feminists, union members, the poor, liberals, college-educated, single people, immigrants.

Republican coalition

South and Mountain West, Southern whites, rural voters, white evangelicals, mainline Protestants, business, the wealthy, conservatives, married and older voters.

Democratic issues

Expanded healthcare, LGBT issues, environment, raise taxes, poverty programs, gun control, pro-choice, civil rights.

Republican issues

Second Amendment, pro-life, cut taxes, reduce regulation, free trade, strong defense, traditional values, religious liberty.

Gender gap

Women vote more Democratic than men (clear since 1980); men more conservative on welfare and environment.

New Deal coalition

1932 Democratic coalition of the white South, urban workers, unions, Catholics, Jews and Black voters.

Faction

A party within a party: an organized group inside a party pushing its own agenda.

4 things factions organize around

An individual, a region, a common policy agenda, a desire for patronage.

GOP factions

Moderates, establishment/business, social conservatives.

Democratic factions

Progressives, New Democrats, centrists/Blue Dogs.

What factions influence

Party leadership fights, bills debated or modified, appointments, party platforms, elections.

Voice (factions)

Expressing disapproval by staying in the party and fighting from inside (primaries, platform fights).

Exit (factions)

Leaving the party; usually costly to reelection (e.g., Arlen Specter switched parties in 2009 and lost the 2010 primary).

Realigning (critical) election

An election that durably reshuffles party coalitions and the balance of power; theory from V.O. Key (1955).

6 characteristics of realigning elections

High voter interest, sharp party differences on key issues, changed voting patterns/coalitions, long unified party control, change in balance of power, regularity (every 30-36 years).

Six party eras

1800-1828, 1828-1860, 1860-1896, 1896-1932, 1932-1968, 1968-present.

1800-1828 era

Democratic-Republican dominance after Jefferson's 1800 win; Federalists collapse.

1828-1860 era

Democratic dominance after Jackson's 1828 win; exceptions were Whig war heroes (Harrison 1840, Taylor 1848).

1860-1896 era

Republican dominance after Lincoln's 1860 win (slavery, Civil War).

1896-1932 era

Republican dominance after McKinley beat Bryan in 1896 (industry vs. agrarian populism).

1932-1968 era

Democratic dominance under FDR's New Deal coalition.

1968-present era

Contested: Republicans won 5 of 6 presidential elections 1968-88 while Democrats controlled Congress; divided government suggests dealignment.

Maintaining election

Majority party wins and the existing alignment holds (e.g., 1936, 1964).

Deviating election

Minority party wins due to short-term factors without changing the alignment (e.g., Eisenhower 1952, 1956).

Secular realignment

Gradual change in voting behavior over many elections as groups and issues shift parties (e.g., white South moving to GOP, 1960s-1994).

Dealignment

Decline in party loyalties so no clean realignment occurs; divided government becomes the norm.

Counterargument to dealignment

Party ID still predicts voting well; most self-described independents are actually partisans.

Origin of primaries

Progressive Era reform in the early 20th century (Wisconsin first statewide, 1903); before that party leaders chose nominees.

Closed primary

Only registered party members vote. Pro: party picks its own candidates, gets list of supporters. Con: more ideological nominees, loses chance to attract new voters.

Open primary

Any voter can choose a party's ballot. Pro: broader-appeal candidate, attracts non-traditional voters. Con: may not reflect party base; crossover voters can influence outcome.

Blanket primary

All candidates on one ballot; vote for anyone per office. Pro: no intermediary, can elect in one election. Con: no clear party choice; two same-party candidates may reach runoff.

California Democratic Party v. Jones (2000)

Supreme Court struck down California's partisan blanket primary as violating parties' freedom of association.

6 reasons parties dislike primaries

Divisive; charges reused in general election; costly; hurt party's image; produce ideological nominees; limit party influence.

Willie Horton (1988)

George H.W. Bush's attacks on Dukakis over a Massachusetts furlough program, first raised by Al Gore in the Democratic primary: primary charges reused in the general.

1968 Democratic nomination

LBJ withdrew over Vietnam; RFK was assassinated; VP Hubert Humphrey was nominated without entering any primaries, prompting reform.

McGovern-Fraser Commission

Post-1968 Democratic commission that rewrote nomination rules for 1972, shifting power to primary voters and the national party.

5 rules of the 1968 commission

Delegates chosen by PR; affirmative action clauses; delegates chosen in the convention's calendar year; selection procedures defined and open; delegates free to vote as they want (no unit rule).

Unit rule

Old rule requiring a state's whole delegation to vote as a bloc; eliminated by the 1968 commission.

5 requirements of delegate selection (for candidates)

Start early, be seen as legitimate, win or do well early, sustain efforts, recognize the party has different interests.

Gary Hart 1984

Did well early (upset Mondale in New Hampshire) but the party establishment backed the tested Mondale; shows party prefers low-risk nominees.

6 criticisms of the nomination process

Too much weight on early caucuses/primaries; officeholders can't take time off; too much money; low, unrepresentative participation; exaggerates regional factors; too much media power.

What conventions do

Approve the platform, formalize the presidential nomination, approve the VP nominee, showcase issues and new politicians, launch the campaign.

McGovern / Eagleton 1972

VP pick Thomas Eagleton had received electroshock therapy; dropped after 18 days; showed poor judgment and vetting.

McCain / Palin 2008

Surprise VP pick of Sarah Palin energized the base but raised readiness questions, hurting McCain's judgment argument.

Why the VP pick matters

It is the nominee's first major decision and shows voters how they make decisions.

1960 Democratic nomination process

About 16 primaries, favorite sons, winner-take-all, no spending limits, state party leaders key, limited media, few women/minorities, unknowns had little chance; party elders chose JFK.

Favorite son

A state's own politician who runs only to control its delegates and bargain at the convention.