Chapter 8
Political Parties, Candidates and Campaigns
History of Parties
in the U.S.
 Early leaders were wary of the idea of parties though
some grew to favor them
 Enable like-minded people to exercise collective
power
 US parties originated because of a rivalry between
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton
History
 Jefferson, who supported state rights and small
landowners, had supporters that would become
known as Jeffersonians.
 Hamilton organized the formal party (the
Federalists) in turn.
 In the 1820s, Jackson developed grassroots party
known as Democrats. Whigs formed.
History
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Whigs party declined with slavery debate.
Democrats split along regional lines, realignments
occurred.
Realignment occurs with great political change
Realignment Occurs
1.
2.
When disruption of the existing political order
emerges over an unusually powerful issue (ex.
Slavery)
An election results in the votes strongly shifting
support to a different party
Realignment Occurs
3. A major change in policy brought about through the
action of the stronger party
4. When an enduring change in the party coalitions
occurs which works to one party’s advantage
Today
 US has weak 2 party system where 3rd parties exist
but difficult for them to win
 Most democracies have a multiparty system
 Democrats: www.democrats.org
 Republican: www.gop.com
Party System
 Party coalition: the groups and interests that support
a party
 Party identification: a political term to describe a
voter's underlying allegiance to a political party
 Voters can vote straight party or “split ticket”
Party and Voting
 Prospective Voting: occurs when the voter chooses a
candidate on the basis of what the candidate
promises to do during an election
Party and Voting
 Retrospective Voting: Based on a judgment about
past performance(s); support the incumbent party
because of performance or doesn’t
Party System Organization
 Nomination: refers to the selection of the individual
who will run as the party’s candidate in the general
election
 Links public to elected leaders
Structure of the Party
 Decentralized, fragmented organizations
 Candidate driven
 US has tradition of two party system
Structure of the Party
 Assist candidates with technology, workers, and
funds
 Can influence candidates but cannot compel party
loyalty
Party Structure
Local parties: vary greatly in
structure and activities; tend to
concentrate on elections that
coincide with local boundaries (ex:
mayor)
Party Structure
 State parties: each party is headed by a central
committee made up of members of local party
organizations and local and state officeholders;
engage in fundraising, voter registration, etc.; play
larger role in state elections than national
Structure of Parties
National Party Organization:
 National Republican Committee and National
Democratic Party
 Structured similarly to states
 National headquarters in Washington, DC
 Set national party agenda and policy
 Run by chairperson chosen by the national committee
Parties & Money
 Federal Election Commission (www.fec.gov)
regulates
 Hard money: goes directly to candidate; can be spent
as candidate chooses ($2000 maximum per
contributor for individual donors and $5000 max for
interest groups)
Parties & Money
 Soft money: goes to party building; can not be given
directly to a candidate
 Individual donations and PACs
Campaign Funds
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Some public funding
Political Action Committees
Critical to winning office
Hire fundraisers
Voter Communication
 Party candidate must utilize mass communication
 1st campaign ad by LBJ
(http://youtube.com/watch?v=OKs-bTL-pRg)
 1st televised debate
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ur92R4Gvcj4
Voter Communication
 Personal appearances
(http://youtube.com/watch?v=l9s-XCULhcM)
Voter Communication
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Changes with new technology
24 hour news
Youtube.com
Websites
Blogs