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

The Four Party Periods The Founding Era –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

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

FIGURE 11.3: How are political parties organized?

11.2 The National Party  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

11.2 The National Party  The national committee Coordinates national convention and presidential campaign Democratic National Committee (DNC) Republican National Committee (RNC)

11.2 The National Convention  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?

11.2 State and Local Parties  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.

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

11.2 Informal Groups  Official and semi-official groups Affiliations of state and local party women Affiliations with college campus organizations  Supportive interest groups Provide money and labor; labor unions, chambers of commerce  Think tanks Institutional collections of policy-oriented researchers and academics Heritage Foundation, Council on Foreign Relations