Political Parties

• Definition: Political parties are groups of people with similar interests who work together to
  • Gain control over the government by winning elections
  • Raise money for campaigns
  • Create and implement policies
  • Ensure that local elections are won by their party
  • Prepare candidates for debate

Party Dominance in Texas

• The _ Party dominated politics in Texas following Reconstruction and through most of the twentieth century.
  • Potential Answers:
  • Republican
  • Democratic
  • Federalist
  • Libertarian

Minor Parties and Ballot Access

• Definition: Political parties that are formed as alternatives to the Republican and Democratic parties are known as _, or minor parties.
  • Challenges in the system: The two-party system in Texas has made it very difficult for ____ to get on the ballot.
  • Potential Answers:
  • Third parties
  • Democrats
  • Second parties
  • One party

The Shift in Southern Politics

• Significant Historical Event: Following the passage of the _ of 1964, southern white Democrats began to leave the party and join the Republicans.
• Acceleration of Movement: This movement was accelerated after Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which provided for federal enforcement of minorities’ constitutional right to vote.
  • Effects:
  • Voter registration and turnout increased among blacks and Latinos in Texas and other states.
  • Potential Answers:
  • Voting Rights Act
  • Anti-lynching Act
  • Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Civil Rights Act

Party Members in the Electorate

• Definition: At its most basic level, being a member of the party-in-the-electorate means a voter is more likely to voice support for a party.
• Identification: These voters are often called , as they usually represent themselves in public as being members of a party and may attend some party events or functions.
  • Potential Answers:
  • Party delegates
  • Party bosses
  • Party identifiers
  • Party supporters

The Structure of Political Parties

• Definition: The ___ is the formal structure of the political party.
  • Role: Its active members are responsible for coordinating party behavior and supporting party candidates.
  • Importance:
  • Vital component as it bears most responsibility for building and maintaining the party “brand.”
  • Key role in helping select, and elect, candidates for public office.
  • Potential Answers:
  • Party organization
  • Party agenda
  • Party delegate
  • Party institution

Town Hall Meetings

• Definition: ___ are a form of town hall meeting where voters in a precinct gather to voice preferences instead of voting individually throughout the day.
• Timing: In Texas, ____ occur after voting in the party primary on primary election day.
  • Potential Answers:
  • Elections
  • Caucuses
  • Conventions
  • Campaigns

Political Ideology

• Definition: A _ is a certain set of ethical ideals, principles, doctrines, myths, or symbols of a social movement, institution, class, or large group that explains how society should work and offers some political and cultural blueprint for a certain social order.
  • Potential Answers:
  • Political socialization
  • Political typology
  • Political caucus
  • Political ideology

Party Identification

• Definition: ____ refers to the political party with which an individual identifies.
• Loyalty: Party identification is loyalty to a political party.
• Determination: ___ is typically determined by the political party that an individual most commonly supports (through voting or other means).
  • Potential Answers:
  • Party identification
  • Party organization
  • Party caucus
  • Party system

Texas Caucuses

• Definition: The Texas caucuses are a political event associated with primaries, a process by which voters in Texas select their parties' nominees for various offices.
• Reference: The process has been referred to as the __, named after the partner dance of the same name.
  • Rationale: Texans must first vote in the primary election to be eligible for participation in party caucuses where delegates are selected.
  • Potential Answers:
  • Texas Party
  • Texas Two-Step
  • Texas Primary
  • Texas Convention