Political Parties
On average, how much money must a U.S. senator raise every week of his or her six-year term in order to acquire enough money to launch a competitive bid for reelection?
20,000
Which of the following groups is most closely aligned with the Democratic Party, voting more than 80 percent Democratic in presidential elections?
African Americans
American party organizations
are still important, but their role in campaigns is secondary to that of candidates
Prospective voting is characterized by
choices based on what candidates promise to do if elected
Organizationally, the U.S. major parties are
decentralized and fragmented
Andrew Jackson's contribution to the development of political parties was the
formation of a new type of grassroots party organization
During the twentieth century, American parties lost their complete control over
nominations financing platforms the staffing of government jobs
If a minor party gains a large following, it is almost certain that
one or both major parties will absorb its issue, and the minor party will lose support
The winner-take-all system is also known as the ________ system
plurality
Which of the following are key players in the modern campaign?
pollsters media producers fundraising specialists campaign consultants
A(n) ________ party is a minor party that bases its appeal on the claim that the major parties are having a corrupting influence on government and policy
reform
The issue of slavery gave birth to the ________ party as a major political party
republican
What party has made big gains in recent decades among white fundamentalist Christians, based on its positions on topics like abortion and school prayer?
republican
________ is based on judgment about the past performance of an elected official or political party
retrospective voting
Which of the following is an indication of strong party loyalty?
straight ticket voting
Which of the following represents the greatest blow to the organizational strength of U.S. parties?
the direct primary
The major reason for the persistence of the American two-party system is
the existence of single-member election districts and plurality (first-past-the post) voting
About 95 percent of all political activists in the United States work at
the local level
Democrats and Republicans have endured as the two major U.S. parties primarily due to
their ability to adapt to changing circumstances
Proportional representation systems encourage the formation of smaller parties by enabling parties to
win legislative seats even though they do not receive a majority of votes in elections