Chapter 6 - Interest Groups & Political Parties

Federalists (Hamilton)

strong central government, industrial North

Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson)

states’ rights, agrarian interests

Democratic Party

evolved from Jefferson’s coalition; dominated early 1800s

Republican Party (GOP)

founded 1854 to oppose slavery; replaced Whigs; dominated presidency post-Civil War

New Deal Coalition (1930s)

southerners, labor, African Americans, older voters → Democratic dominance until 1960s

Modern realignment

Republican South & Plains; Democratic Northeast & West Coast; competitive Midwest

Political parties are

conglomerations of people who share overlapping ideology

Core functions of political parties

• Recruit candidates for public office.

• Organize campaigns & fundraise.

• Provide brand label & policy cues to voters.

• Coordinate policymaking once in office

Three Components of Party

• Party in the electorate

• Party organization

• Party in government

3 Components of Party: Party in the electorate

members & identifiers

3 Components of Party: Party organization

city, county, state, national committees

3 Components of Party: Party in government

officials holding office under the label

Rise of primaries

party leaders lost control over nominations

Candidates now

“select themselves,” often using media and personal wealth.

• “If you can just go on Tucker Carlson or get Trump to endorse you, you don’t have to meet voters.”

Party labels

still matter for winning and governing, but organizational power has weakened — “parties are weak while partisanship is strong.”

Responsible Party Model

Parties should present clear policy choices; voters choose; the winning party enacts its program and is judged next election

U.S. parties rarely meet the ideal of the responsible party model

because they are decentralized and coalition-based.

Polarization and ideological purity movements

make compromise harder

Parties regulated by state laws

ballot access, primaries, campaign finance

Unified Party Government (Trifecta)

same party controls both houses & governor

Divided Party Government

split control → harder to pass controversial laws

States with competitive party balance

tend to have stronger party organizations

Third Parties and Independents

Rarely win major office but influence major party agendas (e.g., Perot → budget reform; Socialists → New Deal ideas).

Third Parties and Independents Barries

winner-take-all (single-member districts), tough ballot laws, voter fear of “wasted votes”

Interest Group

Organized group of persons joining together for one or more common interests to influence policy outcomes

Interest Groups do not seek

to win office, but aim for favorable laws and rulings

Interest Groups serve as

linkage institutions connecting citizens to government

Freedom of association

under the First Amendment is interest groups foundation

Types of Interest Groups

1. Business & Economic

2. Occupational & Labor

3. Racial & Religious

4. Ideological or Issue-Based

5. Governmental & Public-Sector Unions

Types of Interest Groups: Business & Economic

chemical council, oil & gas, insurers → most common and powerful.

Types of Interest Groups: Occupational & Labor

e.g., TX State Teachers Assoc. 

Types of Interest Groups: Racial & Religious

weaker in TX politics

Types of Interest Groups: Ideological or Issue-Based

abortion, environment, gun rights

Well-organized small groups

can exert more influence than large unorganized majorities

Economic diversity hypothesis

When one industry dominates, interest groups are stronger

Party strength hypothesis

Strong parties → weaker interest groups

Legislative professionalism hypothesis

Weak legislatures rely more on Interest Group expertise

Fragmented executive hypothesis

More access points → greater Interest Group influence

Free-rider problem

People benefit from policy changes without joining the group

Selective incentives

Solve free-rider problem through member-only benefits (discounts, merchandise, training)

Olson’s Logic of Collective Action

Group formation depends on individual benefits, group size, and selective incentives

Interest Group Activities

• Monitoring bills

• Lobbying

• Grassroots Lobbying

• Electioneering

• PAC Contributions

Interest Group Activities: Monitoring bills

Track legislation & rules affecting the group

Interest Group Activities: Lobbying

Provide expert information & persuasion to lawmakers; “revolving door” phenomenon

Interest Group Activities: Grassroots Lobbying

Mobilize public support & pressure officials via media or events

Interest Group Activities: Electioneering

Register voters, endorse candidates, and donate money via PACs

Interest Group Activities: PAC Contributions

Political Action Committees fund campaigns to ensure access to officials; in TX, no limit on PAC donations outside legislative session

Advantages of Interest Groups

• Provide representation beyond elections.

• Supply information and expertise to officials.

• Express intense preferences on specific issues.

• Cut across geographic boundaries

Disadvantages of Interest Groups

• Over-represent narrow segments of society.

• Offer biased information.

• Favor business and wealth.

• Contribute to gridlock and “hyper-pluralism.”

Primaries

choose party nominees

General elections

decide officeholders

Primary types

Closed, Open, Semi-open (TX system), Top-two or Top-four

Runoffs

needed if no majority (50% + 1) in TX primaries

Campaign finance

Contributions = protected speech (Citizens United v. FEC, 2010)

PAC money

dominates state politics; funds favor incumbents and majority party

Political Party

Organized group seeking to win elections & govern under a common label

Candidate-Centered Politics

Campaigns focused on individuals rather than party structure

Linkage Institution

Structure connecting citizens to government (e.g., parties, IGs, media)

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Entity collecting & distributing funds for candidates and causes

Winner-Take-All (SMD)

Single-member district system favoring two major parties

Hyper-Pluralism

Policy gridlock resulting from too many powerful interest groups

Closed Primary

• Voters must declare party & register

• May vote only in that primary

Open Primary

• Voters may mix-and-match candidates from either party

• Characterized by use of a single ballot

Semi-Open Primary

• Voters may participate in either party primary (not both)

• Each party has its own ballot

• TX primary is technically “semi-open” (but oft labeled as “open”)

Mixed Primary (or “Semi-Closed”)

• Voters declaring for a party vote in that primary

• Independents/unaffiliated voters get choice

Blanket Primary (LA)

• Voters choose one candidate per office regardless of
  affiliation

• Top vote-getters from each party advance to general election

Top-Two (CA & WA) or Top-Four (AK)

Regardless of party affiliation, top X candidates go to general election