The Last Word: Assignment 3 due Thursday; poll analysis due tomorrow. Consider: How much control do national parties exert over state and local parties? What 1000 paintballs being fired looks like… The Last Word: Assignment 3 due Thursday; poll analysis due tomorrow.

This could go along with the discussion of DIV vs This could go along with the discussion of DIV vs. UNI government from the Woll reading

The Four Party Periods The Founding Era The Jacksonian Period 1790s (post-Washington) to 1820s Critical election = 1800 The Jacksonian Period 1820s to Civil War Critical election = 1828 The “Golden Age” Civil War to 1930s Critical election = 1860 The Modern Era (Reform) 1930s to ??? Critical election = 1932 Use this slide to discuss the questions on political parties. I checked or collected the Woll guided reading questions today laos.

The Organization of Political Parties Unit 3: AP Government and Politics

FIGURE 11.3: How are political parties organized? This figure illustrates how the political parties are organized at the local, state, and national levels.

The National Party 11.2 The national chairperson Chief fundraiser and spokesperson Republican National Chairman (2 year term)- Reince Priebus On January 14, 2011, after seven rounds of voting, Priebus was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee; incumbent chairman Michael Steele had bowed out of the race after trailing in the early rounds of voting.’ **Re-elected in 2013 Democratic Nat’l Chairperson- Debbie Wasserman-Schultz On April 5, 2011, Vice President Joe Biden announced that Wasserman Schultz was President Barack Obama's choice to succeed Tim Kaine as the 52nd Chair of the Democratic National Committee. Elected by the vote of the DNC members; she “joins President Obama at the helm” of the party Each national party has a chairperson. Often, that person is selected by the president or the newly nominated presidential candidate. The chairperson fills many roles. He or she primarily acts as the chief fundraiser and spokesperson for the party. But the job doesn’t end there. The chairperson must keep the peace within the party, and find common ground among different factions. Each national party also has a governing body in the form of the national committee. The committee coordinates the national convention every four years, as well as the subsequent presidential campaign.

The National Party 11.2 The national committee Coordinates national convention and presidential campaign Democratic National Committee (DNC) Republican National Committee (RNC) Each national party has a chairperson. Often, that person is selected by the president or the newly nominated presidential candidate. The chairperson fills many roles. He or she primarily acts as the chief fundraiser and spokesperson for the party. But the job doesn’t end there. The chairperson must keep the peace within the party, and find common ground among different factions. Each national party also has a governing body in the form of the national committee. The committee coordinates the national convention every four years, as well as the subsequent presidential campaign.

The National Convention 11.2 Every four years Present a positive image of the candidate Serve as pep rallies The Message: Delegates Formerly selected by party leaders, now often elected in primary elections and caucuses Superdelegates Who are they? Allow Democratic Party elites some control over which candidate gets nominated Controversial; are they democratic? National conventions can be exciting to watch. Every four years, each major party holds its convention in order to formerly nominate a candidate for the office of president. Because the nominees are known ahead of time, the real purpose of conventions these days is to present a positive image of the candidate to the country and to energize voters by holding a pep rally. Delegates attend the convention to select the nominee. Delegates used to be picked by party leaders, but now generally are elected in local primary elections. Superdelegates are Democratic Party officials whose vote at the convention is unpledged to a candidate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfAcyBzyek4

State and Local Parties 11.2 Roots of the party Virtually all government regulation of political parties is handled by the states Vast majority of party leadership positions are held at state and local level. Precinct Smallest voting unit; fundamental building block of the party Power: States and localities often have considerable power with respect to the election of candidates, dates of primaries and other party activities. The Michigan and Florida issue in 2008 Democratic primary – states went rogue, but were punished. National conventions may get all the attention, but the majority of political party positions and activities are at the state and local level. Practically all government regulation of the political parties is handled by the states, and most of the party leadership positions are also at the state and local levels. The state parties are organized into precincts, which are the fundamental building blocks of the party, and number over 100,000 in the United States. The precinct committee members are the foot soldiers of the party, and they are supported by the state executive committee, plus party committees at the city, county, and other levels.

Levels of party involvement Party rank-and-file People who register and vote for the party regularly Party regulars Work the polls, take non-leadership roles in party, contribute money; getting candidate elected most important Party activists Deeply concerned about party functions, highly involved in electoral process; donate funds Demand a strong voice in local and state party policy Party purists (“the base”?) Put ideology ahead of winning elections; will withhold support if they disagree with candidate Need to include. Not in the text.