1. Interest Groups and Political Parties in the electoral arena

2. Paper topics?

3. Group exercise

4. What are the advantages to an interest group of aligning itself closely with a political party? What are the disadvantages?

5. What are the advantages to political party of being closely aligned with a given interest group? What are the disadvantages?

6. What types of groups are likely to ally with a political party? Groups that can affect votes because of large membership or big money Groups with broad agendas Groups that grow out of social movements

7. Top PACs

8. Group(s) Total number of groups giving to Democratic candidates Number of Democratic- oriented groups Total Given by Democratic- oriented groups Gun Control PACs 1 15,000 Defense/Peace PACs 4 418,283 Pro Israel PACs 12 1127,000 Law Firm PACs 27 1133,000 Ethnic Group PACs 5 542,500 Social Issue Group PACs 3 244,458 Moderate Democratic Group PACs 2 260,047 Women's Group PACs 7 760,695 Liberal/Democratic Group PACs 12 64,782 Environmental PACs 6 6100,984 Gay Rights PACs 3 3103,999 Corporate PACs 261 57125,450 Trial Lawyer PACs 1 1185,000 Trade Association PACs 141 38240,678 Reproductive Rights PACs 10 440,030 Leadership PACs 53 681,083 House and Senate Candidate Committees 137 996,515 Party Committees 27 2,124,003 Labor PACs 94 843,336,561

9. What are some ways in which interest groups might try to affect a party’s direction? Affect who the party’s nominees are Affect the party’s platform Get members elected as delegates to the national conventions Affect what positions the party’s candidates take