Week 10/11 - US Political Parties: Structure, Influence, and Electoral Systems

What is a political party?

An organized group of people, with the goal of influencing public policy and decision making by getting its members elected to office, who come together to contest elections in order to hold power in government

What is the primary way political parties (PPs) differ from interest groups?

PPs directly sponsor candidates for office under their party label.

What are the three main components of political parties (PO, PIE, PIG)?

Party Organization (PasO), Party in the Electorate (PasE), and Party in Government (PinGov).

Describe what is and the primary responsibilities of the Party as Organization (PasO)?

Parties are stable organizations with staff, resources, committees, and volunteers who structure the array of candidates voters choose from. Responsibilities include: maintaining membership lists, organizing conventions, managing primary elections, providing campaign support, and handling administrative bills.

Describe what the Party in the Electorate (PasE) is and how it influences politics.

The presence of parties among citizens who identify with a party (voteres, participants in party activities, and non-voters who still identify with a party). It influences politics through mass participation, voting, volunteering for events, and providing a cognitive framework for voters to interpret political information.

What is party identification?

An individual's psychological attachment to a political party, which influences voting and other forms of political participation regardless of whether they vote or not

How can we determine the influence of a party?

Through an official record of the citizen's self-declared party (in states where citizens choose a party affiliation to register to vote) or a party's ability to mobilize voters and source volunteers

What is and the function of the Party in Government (PinGov)?

The elected/appointed officials who coordinate policy, enforce party loyalty through the authority of higher ranking officials, and align government actions with party ideology.

List the functions of a party.

Channel and manage conflict, simplify choices for voters, aggregate interest, form coalitions, recruit leaders, formulate public policy, provide accountability beyond individual office holders/candidates, and organize government strategy and action

Why is the US considered a two-party system?

Because no party other than the Democrats or Republicans has held the White House or a majority in the US House of Representatives since 1857 (the two most prominent parties have maintained a monopoly over control of the federal government for over a century)

What is a two-party system?

A political system in which two major political parties dominate the electoral and policy making process; often alternating control; and with limited competition from other; "third," parties

What are winner take all elections (plurality voting, first past the post system)?

A system where the winner does not need a majority of the vote, only more votes than any other candidate

What is a plurality?

When a candidate receives more votes than any other candidate, but less than an absolute majority (>50%)

List some third parties that the major parties "incorporated".

The free soil movement (19th century middle), the populist movement (19th century end), the progressive movement (20th century beginning), the civil rights movement (20th century middle), the environmental movement (20th century end), the religious right (20th century end), and the tea party movement (21st century beginning)

When does party incorporation usually occur?

When a new third party has some success despite its inferior organizational power to the others.

What are some consequences of the two party system?

"Big tent" parties, minimal third party presence, and "weak" parties

What do "big tent" parties cause?

They create parties that, after incorporating movements and other third parties, are coalitional and heterogeneous by nature, making it hard for a third party to exist without failing or being absorbed in this enviornment

How does the US party system result in "weak" parties, and how does it compare to other "strong" parties and their features?

US parties are loosely controlled, and lack a hierarchical structure, giving them significantly less control than a "strong" party that is centralized, can control who runs for office, enforce party discipline, control campaign resources, and is ideologically cohesive (which usually exist in systems that allow for smaller and more focused parties)

Describe some consequences of "weak" parties.

Weaknesses: Candidate centered campaigns, polarization (due to voters sorting themselves into each of the two major parties, creating more extreme candidates), accountability challenges (no method for discipline of party actors and difficult to place blame in a decentralized organization), and more powerful external actors (because political actors of the party act autonomously, elevating the power of external actors like interest groups)

List the strengths and weaknesses of the two-party system.

Strengths: simple decision making, stability, forces parties to adapt. Weaknesses: Limited choice, polarization/extremity, and limited representation of minority viewpoints

Describe what a party system is and define its elements.

A period of time in which the major political parties, coalitions of voters aligned with each party, the most prominent political issues, and political institutions are relatively predictable, defined by who is consistently voting for which party, the issues important to the public and leaders, and institutional arrangements shaping politics and governing

What is realignment (party realignment, critical realignment, realignment election, etc.)?

A significant, lasting change in the party preferences of groups and blocs of voters, usually accompanied by shifts in the ideologies and agendas of the two parties. (Note, there is disagreement over how long it takes, definition, measurement, and conceptual clarity)

Write the timeline of party systems in US political history as described in class.

First Party System (1792-1824) - Federalist v. Democratic-Republican, Second Party System (1828-1854) - Democratic v. Whig, Third Party System (1854-1890s) - Democratic v. Republican, Fourth Party System (1896-1932) - Democratic v. Republican, Fifth Party System (11932-1976) - Democratic v. Republican, Sixth Party System (1980-?)

What is the primary challenge of using state voter registration data to identify party affiliation?

Many states do not require party registration, and registration does not always correlate with actual voting behavior or political competitiveness

Why is it problematic to label non-voters or those who don't vote for major parties as 'independents'?

Data shows that over 80% of voters still identify with one of the two major parties, even if they are not registered.

What is party identification and its significance?

An individual's psychological attachment to a political party, which influences voting and other forms of political participation.

How do political scientists typically categorize 'leaners'?

As partisans, because their policy preferences are very similar to the party they lean toward.

Give two different definitions of independents in the electorate with percentages.

Non leaners who don't identify with either party 10-15%, leaners and non-leaners who think of themselves as independent 35-45%

What is the primary characteristic of the average independent voter?

A general inattention to and lack of engagement with politics. Independents preform worse when answering factual questions and are more influenced due to having to fend for themselves in a partisan world

How do independents compare to partisans in terms of political knowledge?

Independents perform worse on factual political questions and are more easily influenced by external information.

Why are independents less likely to vote than partisans?

They may find the contest between two parties they do not identify with to be unattractive.

How do the views of independent voters typically change over time?

They can shift dramatically in a short period, often 'going with the flow' based on who is leading the political landscape.

What is a 'big tent' party?

A party that seeks to appeal to a broad range of voters with diverse interests.

What is a one-party state? Why is Texas considered one?

A state in which one of the major political parties holds most or all elected political offices, which describes the Texan government

Describe how the share of democrat and republican seats in the Texas legislature changed

Democrats (conservative) exercised a virtual monopoly through the mid-1960's, with some periods with zero Republicans, then they steadily lost ground as Republicans gained seats and took the majority in the 2002 election-onwards (with an exception in 2008 when Obama ran a strong platform)

Why do academics disagree on the timeline of party systems?

They debate whether political change is a gradual process or a series of quick shifts occurring during specific transitional elections.

Historically, what group provided the base for the majority status of parties in Texas?

Conservatives, representing both the largest share of the electorate and elite interests.

Why did the Texas Democratic Party historically adopt more conservative policies than Democrats elsewhere?

Because there was no viable second party for a long time, forcing voters across the political spectrum to compete within the Democratic Party.

Why do Republicans dominate Texas elections despite only having a single-digit advantage in party identification?

Lower voter turnout among Democrats due to demographic and financial factors, and the fact that independent Texans tend to lean conservative.

What geographic areas are dominated by Republicans in Texas?

Suburbs and rural areas, with enough support in urban areas to maintain a majority.

What are some forces that could potentially change the political orientation of Texas?

Economic growth, urbanization, shifts in voter turnout patterns, changes in ethnic populations, and changes in national parties.

Why do people support third parties?

Major party deterioration, neglected issues, neglected preferences, unacceptable major party candidates, and attractive minor party candidates

How does a lack of a coherent party platform affect voters? (Major party deterioration)

It confuses voters who expect clear choices and stability, especially when internal party disagreements exist regarding key issues.

What is 'negative partisanship'?

The tendency for partisan voters to feel more intense dislike or hostility toward the opposing party than positive feelings toward their own party.

How does negative partisanship influence third-party voting?

Voters unhappy with their own party are more likely to stick with their party anyway or vote for a third party rather than join the opposition.

When is interest in a third party most likely to increase?

When a major party candidate is perceived as unacceptable or has significant reservations regarding their background or approach.

What makes a minor party more attractive to the electorate?

Having a wider profile or general recognition, often for reasons beyond politics.

Why do third parties struggle to gain media coverage?

They are often not considered legitimate by the press and cannot secure coverage as easily as major parties.

What is the 'self-fulfilling prophecy' regarding third parties?

Voters view third parties as fringe and unlikely to win, so they do not vote for them, which ensures the third party does not win.

List the legal constraints third parties face.

The electoral college, getting names on the ballot, and campaign financing

What is a major geographic hurdle for third parties in the US electoral system? (Legal constraint third parties face)

They must concentrate their votes in a single state or region to win electoral college votes; otherwise, they remain in third place everywhere.

How does ballot access differ between major party candidates and independents in Texas? (Legal constraint third parties face)

Major party candidates face standard nomination and fee requirements, while independents must collect signatures equal to 1% of the previous gubernatorial vote.

How do campaign finance laws disadvantage third parties? (Legal constraint third parties face)

Limits on individual donations disproportionately hurt third parties because they have fewer potential donors compared to established major parties.

What was the impact of the Bull Moose Party in the 1912 election? (Notable third party candidate)

Theodore Roosevelt split the Republican vote, allowing Woodrow Wilson to win the presidency.

What was the significance of the American Independent Party in 1968? (Notable third party candidate)

Led by George Wallace, it appealed to voters opposed to Civil Rights policies, winning 13.5% of the popular vote and 46 electoral college votes.

What challenges did Ross Perot face as a third-party candidate in 1992? (Notable third party candidate)

Despite spending $73 million and winning 18% of the popular vote, his support was not geographically concentrated enough to win any electoral college votes.

How does the current era of presidential elections compare to the New Deal era?

The current era is more competitive, with more frequent changes in party control, fewer re-elections for second terms, closer shares of the popular vote (third party votes have contributed to the closeness of recent elections)

What characterizes the current party system regarding party control of government?

More frequent changes in the majority party and a higher tendency for divided control of Congress and the presidency.

What is divided government?

When the presidency is held by one party, while the other controls at least one chamber of Congress

What is 'party sorting'?

The tendency of individual voters to identify with a political party based on its alignment with their ideology, resulting in more homogenous parties.(The process where liberals have concentrated in the Democratic Party and conservatives have concentrated in the Republican Party)

What caused the ideological shift away from the New Deal party system?

Conservative southern Democrats moved to the Republican Party, while progressive Republicans moved to the Democratic Party.

What is a key characteristic of the sixth party system (post-1980)?

Both parties have become more ideologically homogenous (less diverse internally).

Why do parties experience internal tensions?

Because parties are coalitions of different interests that may disagree on how to tackle major issues.

What is the primary result of voting for non-major party candidates in presidential elections?

It has contributed to instances where the winner failed to receive a majority of the popular vote.

How does Texas democratic party ideological identification compare to national identification from 2008 onwards?

It is less sorted than the Texas and national republican party and around as sorted as the national democratic party

How has liberal identification changed in relation to Donald Trump?

Liberal identification has increased as a reinforcement of negative views toward Trump or as a stand-in for opposition to his influence on conservatism and the Republican Party.

What is 'party polarization?

When the ideologies and political positions of the two parties become distinct with little or no overlap between party members, expressed as "ideological polarization" (evident in party sorting) or "affective polarization" (evident through negative partisanship) often due to political sorting and makes compromise difficult and moderate positions harder to attain, contributing to further polarization

What is a potential benefit of party polarization?

It can increase stability because candidates are more likely to follow through on campaign pledges to avoid punishment from their base.

How does intense partisan competition affect public discourse?

It fuels increasing intensity and hostility, leading partisans to view electoral competition as involving irreconcilable differences.

What is negative partisanship?

The tendency of partisan voter's dislike or hostility toward the opposing party to be more intense than their positive views of their own party

What is affective polarization?

Partisan's feelings of dislike and distrust of members of the opposing party, which mutually reinforces party sorting and polarization

What are the three components of political parties (PIG, PO, PI)?

Party in Government (PIG), Party as an Organization (PO), and Party in the Electorate (PI).

What is the purpose of biennial party conventions in Texas?

They serve as major events for the party as an organization, helping to build strength and mobilize the electorate.

What is the 'party blob'?

The universe of organizations, entities, and individuals associated with a party that are not under its formal authority but siphon control away from the party itself.

What demographic trend characterized Texas between 2010 and 2020?

95% of the population growth was accounted for by nonwhite populations.

Why are Hispanic voters in Texas increasingly targeted by political parties?

They are becoming a larger and more significant share of the total electorate.

What is the primary difference between the national party system and the Texas state system regarding the 'Party in Government' (PIG)?

The Republican Party has been the PIG in Texas for a longer time, allowing it to retain more influence over the political playing field.

What does 'flipping' mean in an electoral context?

Changing the majority party in a legislative body, such as the Senate or the House.

What is a primary election?

An election political parties use to nominate candidates for a general election

How did media exposure impact Talarico's campaign?

An interview with Stephen Colbert provided a significant name-recognition boost, which was further amplified by the controversy surrounding the airing of the segment.

What is the 'Save America Act' mentioned in the context of the Republican primary?

A bill favored by Donald Trump that requires proof of citizenship for voter registration and at the polls.

What is the 'compassionate conservative' vs. 'callous conservative' distinction?

It represents the perceived shift in the Republican Party's ideological tone, moving away from traditional, more moderate conservative values toward a harder-edged, more aggressive stance.

How does political disagreement affect the incentive to compromise?

Political disagreement has become more emotional, which reduces the incentives for compromise and reinforces polarization.

What role do parties play once candidates are elected?

They act as mobilizing vehicles for the candidates to help them maintain power and implement their agenda.

What is the significance of the Texas Election Code Chapter 174?

It mandates that political parties must hold biennial conventions every two years.

How did Trump influence the Republican map in South Texas?

He and the Republican Party worked to recruit new candidates in areas where they previously had little presence.

Why is the Texas political environment described as 'turned up'?

Because the state has a high concentration of diverse demographics and active political parties constantly competing for power.

What is the main reason politics feels 'rigid' or 'ossified'?

The mutually reinforcing pattern of party sorting and polarization creates a static, highly divided environment.