Ch. 8 Questions

What relationship does the national Democratic or Republican Party have with the state and local parties?

All three levels are independent but work together.

Local party organizations are stronger today than they were in the days of the political machines. True or False

False

The Internet has overtaken television as the principal medium of election politics. True or False

False

Today's candidates are more likely than before to owe their nomination to the efforts of their political party organization. True or False

False

What purpose does party competition serve in American politics?

It narrows down options for voters. It allows groups of voters to act in unison.

What usually happens after a third party is relatively successful in attracting votes during a U.S. national election?

One or both major parties will try to co-opt the issue or issues that made the third party successful.

The strongest ideological party in U.S. history was the ______.

Populist Party

The strongest reform party in U.S. history was the ______.

Progressive Party

The party realignment that began in the 1960s was completed during _____ presidency.

Ronald Reagan's

Which of the following are true of grassroots parties?

The are open to all citizens. They operate at the local level.

Which of the following statements is true regarding a single-member district electoral system?

The candidate with more votes than any opponent wins the election in the district.

When a realignment in the electorate occurs, which of the following happens?

The parties reorganize themselves.

What has happened to the New England states since the 1980s?

They have shifted toward the Democrats.

Which of the following are true of Hispanic voters in the United States?

They lean heavily toward the Democratic Party, except for Cuban Americans. Hispanics tend to be liberal on economic issues and conservative on social issues.

Which of the following are distinct disadvantages of the rise of candidate-centered campaigns?

They make it easier for officeholders to deny responsibility for government actions. They provide opportunities for powerful interest groups to donate money to candidates.

How did many of the founders of the United States view political parties?

They viewed political parties with suspicion.

Which of the following statements are true of young voters?

Voters under 30 have preferred the Democratic candidate for the past five presidential elections. Young voters who initially voted Democratic in presidential elections have remained loyal to the Democratic Party.

Current election laws in the United States favor ______.

a two-party system

Which of the following best describes the voting electorate after the expansion of voting rights during the era of Jacksonian democracy?

all white males

All party organizations have a responsibility to ______.

build support among voters

Although party organizations still manage many tasks related to elections, the lead role in elections now lies with the ______.

candidate

A state that prevents members of one political party from voting for another party's nominees has which type of primary?

closed

What group was most concerned about what Scammon and Wattenberg called the "social issue"?

conservative Christians

Even if a third-party candidate fails to win an election, the candidate will sometimes accomplish which of the following?

draw attention to an issue previously ignored by the two major candidates encourage one or both major parties to address issues introduced by the third party

The fact that more white women than white men vote for the Democratic Party is an example of a(n) ____________ ___________.

gender gap

Political parties began to emerge in the United States ______.

in spite of many of the founding fathers' mistrust of them

As compared to those on television, ______ have greater control over campaign messages on the Internet.

individual users

Compared to European parties, parties in the United States exercise _____ control over candidates who are running for office.

less

A ______ political system is made up of at least three political parties.

multiparty

Local party organizations generally play an active role ______.

only during campaign periods

A(n) ______ primary is one in which any registered voter, regardless of party affiliation, may vote.

open

The groups and interests that support a political party are collectively referred to as a _______ ______.

party coalition

Organizations that nominate and seek to elect candidates to government office are known as ______.

political parties

A permanent shift in party allegiances or electoral support is known as a party ______.

realignment

Voting for a candidate's past performance rather than future promises is an example of what is called ______ voting.

retrospective

Today, political candidates tend to ______.

set up and run their own campaign organizations

Third parties formed to promote a stance on a particular issue are known as ______.

single-issue parties

When casting a ______, citizens vote for candidates from different parties.

split ticket

Many voters cast a ______, where they only vote for candidates of one party.

straight ticket

Which of the following led to the political party realignment in the 1930s that benefited the Democratic Party?

the Great Depression

The in-party's chances of staying in power has historically depended primarily on ______.

the condition of the economy

America's plurality, or winner-take-all, system of electing candidates works to the disadvantage of ______.

third parties

How did the Democratic Party gain the confidence of the American people after winning the presidency in 1932?

through economic recovery programs

Primaries in which candidates of both parties are on the same ballot and the first and second finishers compete in the general election are called ______ primaries.

top-two

How many major political parties are there in the United States today?

two

Which is a reason that some scholars think we have moved into a new party alignment?

The Republican Party has become stronger in the South and the Democratic Party had become stronger in the Northeast.

What is the purpose of a primary election (direct primary)?

to enable voters to select their respective party's candidates for a general election

Which of the following result from the fact in the United States candidates rather than parties control their campaigns?

Candidates don't need the party's approval to seek a nomination via a primary. Candidates are free to act as they please once in office, as long as they retain their constituents' support.

Which two political parties were competitive during the first party system?

Democratic-Republicans Federalists