exam 2 p4

What are the two major wings of the Democratic Party?

The economically liberal wing favors government intervention in the economy and higher taxes on the wealthy; it is less prominent than during the New Deal era, though Bernie Sanders has helped rejuvenate it. The socially liberal wing has grown in strength over the past 40 years.

What are the five identifiable sections of the Republican Party?

The business wing, social conservative wing, military wing, libertarian wing, and isolationist wing. People in the electorate, party organization, and government may identify with more than one.

What characterizes the Republican business wing?

It includes many small and large businesspeople and is economically conservative. Some members are moderate on social issues.

What characterizes the Republican social conservative wing?

It opposes abortion and gay marriage and supports traditional family values.

What characterizes the Republican military wing?

It favors strong national defense and usually supports unilateral military action abroad. The lecture notes that this tendency has weakened under Trump.

What characterizes the Republican libertarian wing?

It favors less economic regulation and taxation, opposes government surveillance of citizens, and supports broad civil liberties. The lecture notes that some House Freedom Caucus members show libertarian economic tendencies but lack a strong broader commitment to civil liberties.

What characterizes the Republican isolationist wing?

It favors less foreign aid and is skeptical of some military spending; it may also be nationalist. Trump has tended to move the party in this direction.

What voting patterns help explain the Democratic Party's growth among voters of color?

In 2012, Obama won 80% of the non-white vote, including 93% of African American voters, 73% of Asian American voters, and 71% of Latino voters, but only 39% of white voters.

How did Obama's 2012 victory compare with George H. W. Bush's 1988 victory?

Obama won the popular vote by 4.7 million votes and the Electoral College 332–206. Bush won about 59–60% of the white vote in 1988 and won 41 states and 426 electoral votes, illustrating how the same white-vote share could produce different outcomes in different elections.

How has the racial composition of Democratic voters changed?

African Americans grew from about 6% of Democratic voters in 1952–1960 to 19% in 2019, reaching the low 20% range today. Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans together made up about 21% of Democrats in 2019; voters of color combined accounted for over 40% of Democrats.

How have white Southerners' party loyalties changed?

Only 24% of white Southerners were Democrats by 2000, down from 87% in 1956. In the Deep South, African Americans and other people of color make up over 50% of Democrats.

How many voting members are in Congress, and how is it structured?

Congress is bicameral: 100 senators and 435 representatives, for 535 voting members in total.

How often are congressional elections held?

In even-numbered years. All 435 House seats are up every two years, while about one-third of Senate seats are up every two years because senators serve six-year terms.

When is the next congressional election, and when does the new Congress begin?

The lecture identifies November 2026 as the next congressional election. A Congress typically begins at noon on January 3 of an odd-numbered year; the 120th Congress is expected to begin January 3, 2027.

Why might the listed partisan totals in the House not add up to 435?

Because some seats may be vacant or otherwise not included in the listed party totals.

How is the House of Representatives apportioned among states?

The House size was fixed by Congress at 435 in the early 1900s. After each census, the Census Bureau assigns each state its number of House seats for the next ten years based on population.

What is redistricting, and who usually draws congressional district lines?

Redistricting is redrawing districts within a state to reflect population distribution. State legislatures draw the lines in most states, though some states use impartial bodies. In New York, legislators adopted new lines after the Independent Redistricting Commission failed to agree.

What is partisan gerrymandering?

Creating electoral district boundaries to benefit one political party over another.

What did the Pennsylvania example illustrate about redistricting?

In 2012, Pennsylvania had 4.2 million registered Democrats, 3.1 million Republicans, and 1.1 million independents or other-party members, yet Republicans held 13 of 18 House seats. The lecture uses this to illustrate how district boundaries can advantage a party.

What are the other two types of gerrymandering mentioned in the lecture?

Incumbent gerrymandering and racial gerrymandering.

What is a congressional incumbent?

A current member of Congress who is running for reelection.

What are the average reelection rates for congressional incumbents in the lecture?

House incumbents: 94% on average. Senate incumbents: 88% on average, based on the listed elections from 2008 through 2024.

Why are congressional incumbents reelected at such high rates?

Name recognition, better media access, frank mail, fundraising advantages, casework for constituents, pork-barrel spending, high-profile legislation or advocacy, and gerrymandered House districts.

What is casework, and how can it help an incumbent?

Casework means helping constituents resolve problems involving government services or agencies. It can build goodwill and encourage voters to support the incumbent.

What is pork-barrel spending, and how can it benefit incumbents?

Government spending directed toward projects or benefits for a member's district or state; it can help incumbents demonstrate that they deliver resources to constituents.