INQUIZITIVE CH. 4 QUESTIONS

Which of the following years were important turning points in the Republican Party's growth in Texas?

Correct Answers: -2002 -2015 -1984 Incorrect Answers: -1965

Match each third party to its best description.

La Raza Unida: A party formed in Texas in order to bring attention to the concerns of Mexican Americans Dixiecrats: A segregationist political party formed in 1948 that strongly advocated for states' rights Libertarian Party: A party that supports limited government and advocates policies that can be considered fiscally conservative and socially liberal

Which term describes the degree to which Republicans have become more conservative and Democrats more liberal?

party polarization

What is political socialization?

the process by which someone learns the underlying beliefs and values of a political system

No Democratic presidential nominee has won Texas since _________. Republicans captured most statewide offices in Texas for the first time in ________. In recent years, the most competitive statewide election was the _______ Senate race between Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke.

1976, 1994, 2018

The Texas Republican Party's time of greatest power was probably ________, when it sent large delegations to the U.S House and the Texas Senate and won a near-record total number of seats in the Texas House. The _______ election was significant because it marks the largest increase in the Democratic Party's delegation since 2000.

2014, 2018

In Texas, _______________________ have a larger influence in the __________________________________ than other groups because of their high voter-turnout rate, even though they have a smaller population percentage than in other southern states.

African Americans, Democratic Party

The fading of La Raza Unida as a third party in Texas coincided with the state's shift from a Democratic- to a Republican-dominated state. Which of the following is the likely explanation for what caused the disappearance of La Raza Unida?

As the Democratic Party of Texas lost conservative whites from its base, it adopted more issues that attracted Latino voters to La Raza Unida

By looking at the slate of statewide candidates Democrats deemed the "Dream Team" in 2002, what can we deduce about the Democratic Party's strategy in recruiting these individuals?

Democrats believed that recruiting a demographically and ideologically diverse slate of candidates would mobilize their base and break away some voters from the Republican Party

In Texas, the Tea Party is closely aligned with which political party?

Republican Party

True or False? Social media is an important fundraising tool.

True

In Texas, state party chairs are selected through which process?

election by delegates to the state convention

Place the following party organization in order from the lowest level of temporary party organization to the highest level of temporary party organization.

party primary, precinct convention, county/district convention, state convention

Which term identifies the gathering of party members who voted in the party's primary for the purpose of electing delegates to the county or district convention?

precinct convention

Which interpretations about electoral influence by turnout can be made from the information in the table?

Correct Answers: -African Americans have an outsized influence within the Democratic Party because of their high voter-turnout rate -Republicans have a built-in advantage among registered voters -Low overall turnout among minority groups makes it more difficult for Democratic candidates to win -Democratic candidates have a better chance of winning general elections in presidential election years Incorrect Answers: -White voters dominate elections because they continuously have the highest voter-turnout rate in the state -Latino voters have a significant influence in statewide elections

Watch the animation on party identification in Texas and America, and determine which of the following statements are accurate.

Correct Answers: -Compared to all other states, Texas is near the median in terms of how much it leans Republican Incorrect Answers: -The increasing Latino population has made California less supportive of the Democratic Party since the 1990s -Since the 1960s, Texas has become more Republican than South Carolina

Identify some informal reasons why third parties have been unsuccessful at gaining elected office.

Correct Answers: -Major parties make a conscious effort to absorb them by adopting their issues -Third-party candidates often lack funding and media attention -Voters believe that third parties are unable to win, so they vote for one of the two major parties Incorrect Answers: -Proportional representation does not favor third parties -Voters will choose third-party candidates if given the opportunity

What are some factors that contribute to low voter turnout among Latino Texans?

Correct Answers: -Many Latinos are too young to vote -A significant number of Latinos in Texas are not citizens and cannot vote Incorrect Answers: -Latinos have not been candidates for important offices in Texas, depressing turnout -Latinos are not motivated by current political issues in Texas and the United States

What are three emerging trends that could change the state of partisan politics in Texas?

Correct Answers: -New residents from out of state could change the Texas electorate -Tea Party-backed Republicans could move too far to the right -Texas Democrats might adopt more moderate positions on some issues Incorrect Answers: -The large secession movement in Texas might grow in strength

Which of the following statements about party platforms are accurate?

Correct Answers: -Party platforms state the principles and policies that the party's candidates will pursue when they win an election Incorrect Answers: -Members of a party pledge to follow each part the party's platform -Most voters study party platforms closely

Identify the functions of political parties.

Correct Answers: -Political parties select candidates to run as members of the party -Political parties raise money for candidates' campaigns -Political parties are held accountable to the electorate Incorrect Answers: -Political parties persuade officials to support the particular policy positions supported by their members

Which of the following statements about the growth of the Republican Party in Texas are accurate?

Correct Answers: -Since 2002, most members of the Texas House and Texas Senate have been Republicans -Republicans have dominated statewide offices since 1998 Incorrect Answers: -Despite the gains in the Republican share of the presidential vote, Democratic candidates for president remain very competitive -Texas has always voted for Republicans at a higher rate than the nation in general

What did Dan Patrick's victory in the 2014 lieutenant governor's race say about the Texas Republican Party?

Correct Answers: -Since Republicans almost always win the general election, the primary is usually a candidate's most difficult race -The influence of more conservative, Tea Party-aligned Republicans has grown Incorrect Answers: -Republicans still only have a narrow edge in statewide politics

Which of these statements are associated with the growth of the Republican Party in Texas?

Correct Answers: -Since the 1980s, Texans have been consistently supportive of Republican candidates for president -Presidential Republicanism began after a split between conservative and liberal Democrats during the 1952 presidential election -Republicans have dominated the state legislature since the early 2000s Incorrect Answers: -Republicans have enjoyed unprecedented unity within their party which has allowed them to largely achieve their goals -Republicans have seen their base expand in urban areas as the population has grown

Based on the information in the chart, which of the following statements are accurate?

Correct Answers: -Texas's percentage of residents who identify with or lean toward the Republican Party is right in the middle of all states -More people identify as Republicans in the South and West Incorrect Answers: -Texas is the most Republican state in America -Massachusetts has the most residents who identify as members of Republican Party.

Which of the following statements about participation are accurate?

Correct Answers: -Turnout is higher in presidential elections years than in midterm election years -Despite the large number of registered Latino voters, turnout among this group is generally low Incorrect Answers: -White Texans have the highest voter-turnout rates -Asian Texans have the lowest turnout rate of any group

What are the likely effects of continued party polarization in state and national politics?

Correct Answers: -increased levels of rhetoric and hyperbole as politicians attempt to be seen as strong by party voters -an increase in the ideological extremism of appointees -increased gridlock and a reduction in the passage of legislation Incorrect Answers: -increased split-ticket voting by voters in general elections

Which of the following demographic factors have affected Texas politics?

Correct Answers: -interstate migration -more white Texans moving to suburbs -increasing urbanization Incorrect Answers: -growing support for Democrats in rural areas -increasing Latino political participation in rural areas

In which of the following ways do political parties play a role in our society?

Correct Answers: -organization of government officials -recruit organization volunteers and leaders -provide a label for the public Incorrect Answers: -create laws and regulations

What are the two main factions in the Republican Party?

Correct Answers: -social conservatives -economic conservatives Incorrect Answers: -economic progressives -social progressives

True or False? African American candidates for office have had the most success winning elections for statewide office.

False

True or False? Texas shifted from a Democratic-dominated state to a Republican-dominated state because Texan voters adopted a far more conservative ideology.

False

Match each party office or committee to the function it carries out.

Precinct Chair: represents a portion of the county on the county executive committee and is the head of precinct convention State Executive Committee: accepts filings from candidates for statewide office, establishes party policy, and raises funds for the party County Chair: is head of the county executive committee and runs the daily business of the county party State Chair: is elected every two years at the convention to run the daily business of the state party and head the state executive committee County Executive Committee: runs the county primary and convention and sets policy for the county party

Match the type of election process or district to its description.

Single-member District: an electorate that is allowed to elect only one representative for each district First Past the Post: an election rule that states the winner is the candidate who receives a plurality of the votes