Political parties

How is a political party different from an interest group?

aim to win elections and govern, while interest groups influence policy without

running candidates.

What were the first two parties in the

United States?

the Federalists (led by Alexander Hamilton) and the Democratic-

Republicans (led by Thomas Jefferson).

Texas is a strongly Republican state at this time.

All statewide offices (governor, lieutenant governor, etc.) are held by Republicans.

- Republicans dominate the Texas Legislature (88 out of 150 House seats, 20 out of 31 Senate

seats).

How do we know that Texas is a strongly Republican state at this time.

The Texas Supreme Court is entirely Republican.

- In 2024, Trump won 234 of Texas's 254 counties.

When was the Democratic Party founded?

Around 1800 or 1824 (evolved from Democratic-Republicans).

How was the Democratic Party founded?

Officially became the Democratic Party under Andrew Jackson in 1828.

When was the Republican Party founded?

in 1854 in opposition to the expansion of slavery.

How was the Republican Party founded?

anti-slavery activists, former Whigs, and Northern Democrats.

- Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president (1860).

Who were the Whigs?

a party opposing Andrew Jackson's policies.

What older party did the Whig Party replace?

the National Republicans (a faction of Democratic-Republicans).

- Collapsed in the 1850s due to divisions over slav

What infuriated Andrew Jackson about the presidential election of 1824?

Jackson won the popular vote but lost in the House of Representatives to John Quincy Adams.- Jackson called it a "corrupt bargain" after Adams appointed Henry Clay as Secretary of State.

. In what year did Lincoln run as the Republican candidate?

1860 (won the presidency, leading to Southern secession).

What kind of Lincoln Day dinner does Denton have every year?

The Lincoln-Reagan Dinner, honoring both Republican icons.

Why was 1932 a critical year for the Democratic Party?

- The Great Depression led to Franklin D. Roosevelt's election.

- FDR's New Deal shifted power to Democrats for decades.

What was the Solid South?

1870s-1960s) was when Southern states voted only for Democrats.

When did the Solid South end

1964 when Southern whites shifted to Republicans over civil rights.

What were the three major party realignments?

Post-Civil War (1860s): Republicans dominate.

2. 1932 (Great Depression):Democrats regain power under FDR.

3. 1964 (Civil Rights Act): Southern whites switch to Republicans.

What was the Tea Party

conservative movement (2009-2016) within the GOP.

What are official representatives to national party conventions called

Delegates (they nominate the presidential candidate).

What happened at the 1968 Democratic Convention?

Violent protests over the Vietnam War and police crackdowns in Chicago.

What is the document outlining a party's official positions

The party platform (approved at the national convention).

What are the key functions of political parties?

Nominate candidates.

- Organize elections.

- Raise funds.

- Mobilize voters.

- Provide ideological framework.

What does "structure the voter's choice" mean?

Parties simplify decisions by grouping candidates under familiar labels (Democrat/Republican).

What does "loyal opposition" mean?

The party not in power critiques policies but accepts election results.

Who leans Republican/Democratic? (Pew Data, 2024)

Republican-leaning:White evangelicals, rural Southerners, older voters.

- Democratic-leaning:Black women, young voters, urban Northeasterners.

Why do third parties form?

Major parties ignore key issues.

Why does the third party fail

Winner-take-all system, major parties co-opt their ideas.

Are parties moving toward the center or extremes?

- polarizing, but most Americans are moderates.

- Result: Gridlock and voter

What were the Tea Party main issues?

- Opposed big government, debt, and illegal immigration.