Chapter 8
Political Parties, Candidates, and
Campaigns: Defining the Voter’s Choice
Political Parties
“Political parties created democracy and … modern
democracy is unthinkable save in terms of the
parties.”
-E.E. Schattschneider-
• The history of democratic government is virtually
synonymous with the history of political parties
Political Parties
• The first American political parties emerged
from the conflict
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between small farmers and states’ rights advocates
those favoring commercial and wealthy interests
• Political parties serve to
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educate the public
recruit candidates
formulate platforms
link the public with its elected leaders
enable people with different backgrounds and opinions to act together
offer the public a choice between policies and leaders
narrow voters’ electoral options
Party Competition and Majority Rule:
The History of U.S. Parties
• The first parties
o George Washington• Warned of the “baneful effects” of
factions (political parties)
o Thomas Jefferson vs. Alexander Hamilton
• Hamilton
o Federalists
• Jefferson
o Democratic-Republicans
o transforms into Democrats
Party Competition and Majority Rule:
The History of U.S. Parties
• Andrew Jackson and
Grassroots Parties
o 1824- won the popular vote
but not the Electoral
College
o 1828- won the presidency
by building his party from
the ground up, or
“grassroots”
• Committees and clubs at
the local & national level
• Membership open to all
registered voters
A Graphic History of
America’s Major Parties
Party Competition and Majority
Rule: The History of U.S. Parties
• Republicans versus Democrats: realignments
and the enduring party system
o Enduring two-party system since Civil War
• Democrats & Republicans have endured because of their
ability to adapt to changing circumstances
o Partisan realignments during crises
• Issue of slavery gave birth to Republican party
o Realignment: four basic elements
• Divisive issues—disruption of existing political order
• Election—voters shift support strongly toward one party
• Major change in policy brought about by that party
• Enduring change in party coalitions to favor of dominant
party
o History of realignments:
• Civil War—Republicans gain control
• 1896—Republicans solidify control
• 1932—Democrats gain control
Party Competition and Majority
Rule: The History of U.S. Parties
• Today’s party alignment and its origins
o Republicans
• Dominant in South
• Controlled presidency twice as often as Democrats
since 1968
• Controlled both houses of Congress a third of the time since 1968
• Missteps of Nixon and George W. Bush weakened power
o Democrats
• Dominant in Northeast
• Civil rights stance caused loss of power in South- “the Solid South”
• Less dominant party since 1968
o Analysts divided on which party will have greater power going forward
• Parties and the vote
o Strength of party identification
o Rarity of true independents
o Straight-ticket voting
• An indication of strong party loyalty
o Split-ticket voting
• Most prominent during the 1970’s
Partisan Identification
Electoral and Party
Systems
• Single-member-district system of election
o Encourages two-party system
o Contrast with multiparty system and proportional representation
• Multiparty Systems
o 3 or more political parties have the capacity to control the
government
• Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden
o Proportional Representation
• Proportional representation systems encourage the formation of
smaller parties by enabling parties to win legislative seats even
though they do not receive a majority of votes in elections.
• The major reason for the persistence of the American two-party
system is the existence of single-member election districts
• Politics and coalitions in the two-party system
o Seeking the center: median voter theorem
o Party coalitions
• Broad and overlapping but far from identical
• Gender gap
The Vote of Selected Demographic
Groups in Recent Presidential Elections
Hispanics’ Party
Identification
Electoral and Party Systems
• Minor (third) parties
Single-issue parties
• Greenback Party- wanted currency based on paper money rather than gold or
silver
o Factional parties
• Most important type of minor party in the 20th Century
• 1912 Bull Moose Party- Theodore Roosevelt’s 27% to Taft’s (R) 25%
• Led to election of Woodrow Wilson
o Ideological parties
• Populists, Green Party, Socialist Workers Party, Libertarian Party,
• Tea Party???- not an actual party…
o Reform parties
• Progressive Party
Problems for 3rd Parties
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Financing campaigns
Getting candidates on all 50 states ballots
If a minor party gains a large following, it is almost certain that one or both major
parties will absorb its issue, and the minor party will lose support
Party Organizations
• The weakening of party organizations
• During the 20th Century, American parties have lost
complete control over:
o Platforms
o Financing
o Nominations
• Primary election/direct primary
o The most direct blow to organizational strength of U.S. parties
• Loss of party control to candidates
o Staffing of government jobs
• Loss of party power over patronage
• patronage-rewarding party workers for their loyalty
Party Organizations
• The structure and role of party organizations
o U.S. parties are loose associations of national, state, and local
organizations
• Highly decentralized & fragmented- due to Federalism
o Local party organizations
• 95 percent of party activists work at local level
o State party organizations
• Smaller role than national or local offices
• State Chairperson organizes the day-to-day operations
o National party organizations
• Do not dictate the day-to-day decisions of the state and local party
organizations
• For Congressional candidates:
o Service relationship
• helping candidates conduct their personal campaigns
Formal Organization of the
Political Party
Party Organizations
• The structure and role of party organizations
o National party organizations
• Structure of the national parties
• Major role in campaigns is raising and spending of money
o Hard money
• Goes directly to a candidate
o Soft money
• Used to support party activities
• 527 groups
o IRS Code Section 527- governs not-for-profit political groups
• MoveOn & Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
o SCOTUS found corporations and unions could not be
banned from spending money on campaigns
National Party Fundraising,
1989-2010
The Candidate-Centered
Campaign
• Candidate-centered politics encourages:
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greater responsiveness to local interests
greater flexibility in electoral politics
LESS long-term consistency in policymaking
introduction of new blood to politics
an increase in the power of special interest groups
• Campaign funds: money chase
o Avg. U.S. Senator fundraising per week- $20,000
• Organization and strategy: political consultants
o Modern campaign key-players:
• Pollsters
• Media producers
• Fundraising specialists
• Campaign consultants
o James Carville, Dick Morris, and Roger Ailes are all examples of campaign
strategists who have earned legendary reputations
o Packaging: highlight aspects of candidate’s positions and background
thought to be attractive to voters
The Candidate-Centered
Campaign
• Voter contacts: pitched battles
o Air wars
• Main battleground: advertising through media
• ½ of all spending is devoted to TV
o Many democracies besides the U.S. provide free air time to
political parties to make their pitch
o Some do not allow candidates to purchase air time
o Ground wars
• Get-out-the-vote efforts
o Web wars
• 2008 presidential election- Obama used the Internet most successfully
to attract followers
The Rise in Negative
Campaigning, 1960-2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLj6yY4P_Rg
Parties, Candidates, and
the Public’s Influence
• Stronger relationships between voters and
representatives
o Most citizens have confidence in their local representative
• Weaker relationships between voters and
representative institutions
o Most citizens have a low opinion of Congress
• Candidate-centered campaigns add flexibility
• Candidate-centered campaigns decrease
accountability
• Prospective Voting
• Based on knowledge of candidates’ positions
• Retrospective Voting
• Based on past performance
Sleaziest Political
Ads of 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDT-LN5-Edw