Chapter 5 Political Parties

Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Learning Objectives LO 5.1 Identify the characteristics of American political parties. LO 5.2 Understand the evolution of the party system in Texas. LO 5.3 Evaluate the importance of party organization. LO 5.4 Assess the functions of political parties in American and Texas politics. LO 5.5 Apply what you have learned about Texas political parties. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of American Political Parties Two-Party System Competition usually between Democrats and Republicans Single-member districts Two-party system: A political system characterized by two dominant parties competing for political offices. In such systems, minor or third parties have little chance of winning. Single-member districts: Election districts in which one candidate is elected to a legislative body. Explain why there are two major parties in the U.S. and Texas. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of American Political Parties Pragmatism Valence issues Position issues Growing polarization? Decentralization Pragmatism: The philosophy that ideas should be judged on the basis of their practical results rather than on the purity of their principles. Valence issues: Issues on which virtually all of the public agrees, for instance, such as peace and prosperity. Position issues: Issues on which the public is divided. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. The Decentralized Nature of American Political Parties and the Importance of the National Party’s Service Function Figure 5.1 The diagram shows the semi-independent relationship that exists among national, state, and local party organizations and the increasingly important services and funds provided by the national party organization. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Development of the Texas Party System The One-Party Tradition in Texas Ideological Factions in America and Texas Conservatives Liberals Under the Republic of Texas, there was little party activity. Political divisions were usually oriented around support of, or opposition to, Sam Houston, a leading founder of the Republic. After Texas became a state, however, the Democratic Party dominated Texas politics until the 1990s. Conservatives believe that individuals should be left alone to compete in a free market unfettered by government control; they prefer that government regulation of the economy be kept to a minimum. Liberals believe that it is often necessary for government to regulate the economy and to promote greater social equality. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Development of the Texas Party System Conservatives and Liberals and Texas Democrats The rise of the Republican Party The Republicans become competitive Pivotal events in the rejuvenation of the Republican Party in Texas: 1961: John Tower elected to the U.S. Senate 1978: Bill Clements elected governor 1992: Republicans hold both U.S. Senate seats 1998: Republicans win every statewide election Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Changes in the Number of Republican and Democratic Officeholders in Texas Table 5.1 What explains the Republicans’ dominance of the Texas political scene today? To what extent will demographic changes affect the future success of the party? Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Development of the Texas Party System The rise of the Republican Party (cont.) The era of Republican dominance Party realignment Partisan identification Dealignment Sources of Republican strengths and weaknesses Party realignment: The transition from one dominant party system to another. Partisan identification: A person’s attachment to one political party or the other. Dealignment: When increasing numbers of voters choose not to identify with either of the two parties and consider themselves to be independents. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Percentage of voters indicating a major party identification Table 5.2 Sources: Polls conducted by Belden and Associates (1952 and 1972) Harte-Hanks Communications (1990) American National Election Studies (2002) and the University of Texas at Austin, Austin/Texas Tribune polls (2008 and 2014). Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Results of the 2012 Presidential Election Figure 5.2: The map shows the only 26 counties won by Barack Obama. Note that Obama carried more populous counties like Bexar, Dallas, Harris and -\Travis, and Mitt Romney carried the smaller counties outside of South and Southwest Texas. Source: Office of the Texas Secretary of State. What does this mean for the future of the Democratic Party in Texas? Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Development of the Texas Party System Conservatives and Moderates and Texas Republicans Evangelical (fundamentalist) Christians Party platform Tea party Evangelical (fundamentalist) Christians: A bloc of conservative Christians who are concerned with such issues as family, religion, abortion, gay rights, and community morals, and often support the Republican Party. Party platform: The formal issue positions of a political party; specifics are often referred to as planks in the party’s platform. Tea Party: A faction or groups of very conservative Republicans generally resistant to compromise of its principles. Is Texas becoming a one-party Republican state? Or is there reason to expect increased competition between the parties in the future? Why or why not? Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Development of the Texas Party System Can the Democrats still compete? Tipping Swing voters Tipping: A phenomenon that occurs when a demographic group grows large enough to change the political balance in the electorate. Swing voters: Voters who are not bound by party identification and who support candidates of different parties in different election years. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The Organization of Texas political parties Temporary-Party Organization Precinct convention County and senatorial district conventions State conventions Presidential preference primary Precinct convention: A gathering of citizens within a precinct—where people vote—who voted in the party’s primary. Presidential preference primary: A primary election that allows voters in the party to vote directly for candidates seeking their party’s presidential nomination. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Texas Political Party Organization How does the process of selecting delegates ensure that many of the delegates who attend the national convention have been “grassroots” supporters of the party? Figure 5.3 The chart shows the three levels of state party organization in Texas and the ties of the state organization to the national party organization.

The Organization of Texas political parties Permanent-Party Organization Precinct-level organization County-level organization State-level organization Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

The functions of political parties The Party in the Electorate The Party as Organization The Party in Government The party in the electorate refers to the identification of citizens with the parties. The party as organization is the formal structure of the party itself. The party in government consists of the elected officials in government and what they do while there. How do parties help represent the public in government? Are parties always good agents of the public? Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Party Control in the Fifty States: How Texas Compares Figure 5.4 How Does Texas Compare? Party Control of Government The map illustrates party control of government in the American states. Source: National Council of State Legislatures. The figure depicts whether Republicans control both the executive and legislative branches (red), Democrats control both (blue), or control is divided (purple). Based on demographic changes in Texas, is the state likely to become more competitive or less competitive in the future? Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Click on picture to view video former governor ann Richards discusses the rise of the republican party in texas Click on picture to view video Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

video discussion questions Who benefits from a two-party system? How does former Governor Richards describe the “winning formula” for a major Democratic victory in Texas? Is this accurate? Characterize differences between Texan Republicans and Democrats. Copyright © 2016 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.