AP Gov U5

When contributing to congressional campaigns, political action committees (PACs) are most likely to contribute to

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Which of the following is NOT an explanation for low voter turnout? *

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Which of the following represents a consequence of candidate-centered electoral campaigns? *

A decrease in the role of political parties in campaign management

Which of the following activities by interest groups best illustrates attempts to educate members of Congress on public policy? *

A green energy group sending a research report to congressional offices.

Which of the following exemplifies the free-rider problem for interest groups? *

A teacher who does not join the local teachers union but receives a salary negotiated by the union

Which of the following demographic groups has voted most consistently for the Democratic Party in national elections over the last three decades? *

African Americans

A 2017 study in The American Economic Review found that watching Fox News during an election cycle increased a Democrat's chances of voting Republican by 28 percent. Conversely, by watching MSNBC Republicans were more inclined to vote Democrat by 8 percent. This scenario best illustrates which of the following about the media?

Cable news programming is oftentimes ideologically driven and effective in persuading citizens to adopt their point of view.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC, has raised over $50 million dollars, which it plans to spend on advertising in the next midterm election. It plans to target its spending in competitive districts in the days leading up to Election Day. Which of the following court cases decision is most likely to protect the right of the group in the scenario?

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Which of the following statements about voting behavior in the United States is correct? *

College graduates are more likely to vote than are those who have at most a high school diploma

Which of the following provides the most accurate explanation of how consumer-driven media increases partisan polarization?

Consumer-driven media reinforces existing political biases in individuals.

Which of the following is a true statement about the role of the media in providing citizens with information?

Demand for instantaneous news reporting has led to the growth of 24-hour news operations and a shift to online media consumption.

Which of the following would result from the direct election of presidential candidates?

Each vote would count equally in determining which candidate won the election.

Which of the following form an "iron triangle"? *

Executive department, Congressional committee, interest group

Which of the following best accounts for the lack of success generally encountered by minor political parties in electing members to the House or Senate? *

General elections in the US are based on the winner-take-all principle

All of the following contribute to the success of incumbent members of Congress in election campaigns EXCEPT:

Incumbents tend to understand national issues better than do their challengers.

Which of the following describes an effect of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment?

It eliminated poll taxes.

Which of the following is true of the electoral college system?

It encourages candidates to concentrate their campaigns in competitive, populous states.

Which of the following portrays an accurate example of horse race media coverage?

News media outlets report the results of public opinion polls that show the relative popularity of presidential candidates.

Which of the following describes a fundamental difference between political parties and interest groups? *

Political parties represent broad arrays of issues, whereas interest groups are more likely to focus on narrow sets of issues

An advertisement airs on television attacking a candidate running for office. The advertisement was produced and distributed by a group that was not affiliated with nor funded by any political campaign. Which of the following statements explains why this expenditure is not prohibited by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 ?

Political spending by groups not directly affiliated with a campaign is a form of protected speech.

A person votes for Democratic candidates based on the belief that the policies of the Democratic Party will be personally beneficial. This type of voting matches which of the following voting behavior models. *

Prospective voting

Senator Hoffman is campaigning for reelection in her state. Her campaign message emphasizes how the policies she has supported have benefited her constituents . She has spotlighted job creation and an overall improvement in the standard of living in the state in the past six years. Senator Hoffman is hoping to appeal to which of the following voting behavior models? *

Retrospective voting

An important Senate race takes place in the state of Georgia. Rather than focus on the issue positions taken by the candidates, a 24-hour cable news station instead focuses primarily on poll results and campaign strategies using a "big board" to show the counties where each candidate has the most support. Which of the following is an effect of this type of new coverage?

The electorate will be less able to accurately compare the policy platforms of candidates running in the election.

Which of the following describes the potential impact on the electorate when daily media coverage of elections focuses primarily on the newest poll results?

The electorate will be less able to accurately compare the policy platforms of candidates running in the election.

Considering all elections at all levels of government, which of the following best describes electoral behavior in the United States?

The majority of the electorate does not vote in most elections.

Which of the following best characterizes the influence of the news media on public opinion in the United States?

They affect which issues the public thinks are important.

Which of the following is true of political action committees (PACs) ?

They make campaign contributions in hopes of gaining access to legislators.

A political science professor is researching the effects that the Fifteenth and Twenty-Sixth Amendments have had on the American political system. Which of the following is the most likely reason the professor is researching these amendments?

To study the expansion of voting rights

Which of the following scenarios explains how demographic factors affect voter participation in elections *

Wealthier individuals are more likely to become involved in campaigns because they believe that their actions may influence candidates.

A primary election in which voters are required to identify a party preference before the election and are not allowed to split their ticket is called

a closed primary

Since the early 1980s, the Republican Party platform has been increasingly influenced by

evangelical Christians

The main intent of "motor voter" laws is to

increase voter registration

The most common criterion that people use when voting for a presidential candidate is the candidate's *

party identification

Tom believes that the government should be limited in its regulation of the economy, but he wants to find out more about economic policy. As he researches the topic, he increasingly relies on a well-respected conservative blog as his main source of information. Tom's actions demonstrate the tendency of individuals to seek out information from sources that

reinforce existing political beliefs

Interest groups engage in all of the following activities EXCEPT *

using the franking privilege

Critical elections in the United States typically have occurred *

when groups of voters have changed their traditional patterns of party loyalties