1. Institutional Analysis Lecture 7: Political Parties

2. Overview: Three Views of Parties Parties in the electorate To what extent do parties influence voting behavior in the electorate? Is party a cue for policy positions or ideology? Is partisan affiliation and party loyalty inherited? Or is it malleable? Are parties simply name brands or do they represent more?

3. Overview: Three Views of Parties (cont.) Parties as Organizations Political parties are also organizations that can distribute resources to its members to help reelection Fund raising drives Organizing campaigns Furthering members reelection opportunities.

4. Overview: Three Views of Parties (cont.) Parties in the legislature The ability of parties and party leadership within Congress to organize its members for collective action (I.e., passing legislation). Parties as procedural coalitions Parties as policy coalitions Parties as floor coalitions.

5. Trends In the late 19 th and 20 th century, party membership was a key feature as to whether someone gained office. Parties controlled resources (votes and money) and were able to direct these resources to help faithful party members. Tammany Hall and “political machines” were prime influence that parties held over electoral outcomes.

6. Trends (cont.) Changes in election laws Introduction of Australian Ballot— Late 1880s to 1900 Allows for split ticket votin Changes in election laws FEC reporting requirements and limits on PAC spending have reduced the resources parties have to give to members and thereby reduced influence over members Open primary

7. Trends (cont.) Changing Nature of elections Elections are now more candidate centered. Focus placed on candidate’s personality, electability, previous experience. Elections have little to do with the candidate’s partisan affiliation.

8. Challenge The question is given our system of government what role can parties play in Congress? Krehbiel poses the challenge of whether we can explain anything with party that we could not just explain with preferences Median Voter model vs. Party Model