Chapter 8: Political Parties

The Federalists and the Whigs competed for votes in the first party system

False

Party workers are part of which of the following?

Party organization

Based on the chart, which is the most accurate statement about polarization in the House?

Polarization has been driven by House Republican becoming more conservative over time

According to the Pew Research Center survey responses below, which racial groups tend to associate with which party's coalition?

Republican - White evangelical Protestant Democratic - African American - Latino

During the summer before a presidential election, each party holds a(n) _____ convention, and the presidential candidate who wins the most ______ wins the nomination for that party.

- nominating - delegates

The party principle was established in the ______ party system, with the goal of creating the party _______.

- second - organization

When one party controls both Congress and the presidency, it is called ______ government, and voters have _____ of a chance to reward or punish the party in charge.

- unified - more

In 1995, Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) was the Senate Majority Leader. Which of the following groups did he lead?

Correct Ans: - Republican senators Incorrect Ans: - state Republican Party organizations - Tea Party Caucus - Republican National Committee

The candidate who won the nomination also won one of the first three states to vote.

False

The ideological diversity within an American political party means that generally party members agree on spending and policy decisions.

False

Today, Republicans have a significant advantage in terms of party identification among the electorate.

False

Based on the graphic, which candidate did best with African-American voters?

Joe Biden

Which of the following statements about Independent voters is true?

Most Independent voters tend to support one party more than the other

In the second party system, the two major parties were the Democrats and the Whigs. In the third party system, the Republicans replaced the Whig party. In going from one party system to another, we had what?

a realignment

Although party labels help simplify voters' choices, which factor reduces their information value?

The party organization and the party in gov do not always agree on policy positions.

Relative to the major parties, minor-party platforms tend to be more extreme

True

The Great Depression led to a realignment.

True

Unlike PACs, 527 organizations are not subject to contribution limits and spending caps.

True

When politicians put their own political futures ahead of party loyalty, they can make it difficult for voters to hold parties accountable.

True

Which aspect of the political parties developed earliest in American history?

party in gov

Party brand names convey information about the parties to which of the following?

voters

How are candidates for federal House and Senate elections selected?

winning a primary or caucus election

Party platforms help describe the _____ between the major parties. Political candidates _____ required to uphold their party's platform.

- differences - are not

During a campaign for an open Senate seat, the Republican candidate spends her time focusing on business issues, which Republican voters care about, and the Democratic candidate spends his time focusing on education and social welfare issues, which Democratic voters care about. This is an example of _____

- issue ownership

The idea behind the ______ was to reward party workers with benefits such as government jobs.

- spoils system

What is the effect on accountability when legislators cultivate a reputation with the voters that is independent of the party label?

Correct Ans: - Legislators are held accountable for their own performance, but nobody in Congress is held responsible for large-scale outcomes. - It is harder for voters to use party labels in attributing responsibility. Incorrect Ans: - It is easier for voters to use party labels in attributing responsibility. - Legislators are not held accountable for their own performance, but Congress is held responsible for large-scale outcomes.

Why don't party leaders order their candidates to support the party platform?

Correct Ans: - Party leaders cannot kick a candidate off the ballot. - Candidates are not solely reliant on party fundraising for campaigns. Incorrect Ans: - The political parties are forbidden from offering campaign support. - The Constitution forbids the party organization from controlling the party in government.

What roles do national committees play?

Correct Ans: - They raise money for future campaigns. - They run the party's day-to-day operations. - They recruit candidates to run for the party. Incorrect Ans: - They select who gets a party's spot on a ballot.

How do party organizations influence candidates running for office?

Correct Ans: - by offering campaign advice - by initiating get-out-the-vote activities - by supplying campaign funds Incorrect Ans: - by requiring candidates to emphasize certain issues - by making sure that the candidate upholds the party platform

Which of the following are key issues in the sixth party system (1969-present)?

Correct Ans: - civil rights - size of the federal government Incorrect Ans: - tariffs - industrialization

Which of the following are goals of a constituency group or team?

Correct Ans: - converting groups that support the other party - attracting the support of demographic groups Incorrect Ans: - recruiting quality aspiring politicians - coordinating across levels of the party organization

Which of the following roles do parties in government perform?

Correct Ans: - coordination - accountability - agenda-setting Incorrect Ans: - coercion - campaign support

In which ways can parties help candidates?

Correct Ans: - providing a brand name for voters - offering a spot under the party name on a ballot - monetary campaign assistance Incorrect Ans: guaranteed seats in the legislature

What factors can change during a realignment?

Correct Ans: - the nature of the party organizations - the specifics of government policy - the issues that divide the parties - the composition of the party coalitions

The following graph shows how people with different party identification—Democrat, Independent, and Republican—voted in the 2020 presidential election. Analyze the graph, and then identify the correct and incorrect statements.

Correct Ans: - The graph tells us about the candidate that each party's voters supported but does not tell us about how many Democrats or Republicans voted. - A major party presidential candidate can usually count on winning a large majority of his or her party's supporters. Incorrect Ans: - Independents strongly favored Donald Trump, giving him a large margin of their votes. - Joe Biden did twice as well among Republicans than Donald Trump did among Democrats.

Within the party in government, what is the purpose of the Democratic Caucus and the Republican Conference?

Correct Ans: - They allow the parties to assign leadership positions. - They help party leaders develop party strategy. - They serve as a forum for debate within the parties. Incorrect Ans: - They require members to vote a particular way.

What issues triggered the emergence of the fifth party system (1933-1968)?

Correct Ans: - size and scope of the federal government - government involvement in the economy Incorrect Ans: - tariffs - industrialization - immigration

Match the type of primary to the correct description of how that primary functions.

Nonpartisan primary - Candidates from both parties are on the same ballot. Closed primary - Only registered party members can vote. Open primary - Any registered voter can participate in the primary of their choice.

Match each individual to their respective place or role in political parties.

Party in government - a Republican city council member - a Democratic U.S. senator Party in the electorate - a registered Republican voter - a voter who identifies himself as a Democrat Party organization - the head of the Democratic National Committee - a worker for the Republican Party of Kansas

Match the party function to the level of the political party that most frequently engages in that function.

Party organization - recruit candidates - raise money for future campaigns Party in government - vote on policy - propose legislation Party in the electorate - vote on candidates

Considering that members within each of the political parties may differ on policy preferences, which of the following is correct?

Putting one party in power may not result in specific policy changes

In Wisconsin, voters can register to vote on Election Day and can decide whether they want to vote in the Republican or Democratic election when they show up at their polling place. What type of voting system does Wisconsin have?

an open primary system

A local meeting in which party members select a party's nominee for the general election is called what?

caucus

Among the four issues of dealing with climate change, improving the outlook for jobs, reforming Social Security, and dealing with global trade issues, on which issue do Democrats and Republicans disagree the most?

climate change

In which party system did the modern division between the parties—with a Democratic Party that favored an active federal government and a Republican Party that favored state and local governments and the private sector—begin?

fifth party system

How does one become a member of the party in the electorate?

identify with a political party

A change in the size or composition of the party coalitions or in the nature of the issues that divide the parties is known as a(n) ____.

realignment