GOVT-2306-86023 CHAPTER 4

Republicans have controlled a majority in both the Texas House and Senate since _____. 2000 1996 2003 1994

2003

After Reconstruction, the Republican Party in Texas survived primarily because of support from _______. African Americans women farmers Hispanics

African Americans

How are ideological parties different from coalitional parties? An ideological party has an easier time winning an election than a coalitional party. An ideological party is more pragmatic than a coalitional party. An ideological party contains more factions than a coalitional party. An ideological party's main goal is fidelity to principle, while a coalitional party's main goal is winning elections.

An ideological party's main goal is fidelity to principle, while a coalitional party's main goal is winning elections.

Who was the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction? Rick Perry Clayton Williams Bill Clements George W. Bush

Bill Clements

Which demographic group in Texas has delivered more than 90 percent of their ballots to Democrats in most races over the past several decades? Black voters Asian voters White voters Hispanic voters

Black voters

For more than a century, Texas was dominated by the _______. Republicans Whigs Libertarians Democrats

Democrats

There was still political competition in Texas after Reconstruction because _______. the Republican Party continued to be a viable political party in Texas after Reconstruction a series of parties took turns dominating politics in Texas after Reconstruction Democrats fought other Democrats for political dominance Republicans fought other Republicans for political dominance

Democrats fought other Democrats for political dominance

Which party began organizing around social justice and environmental issues in the 1990s and has run statewide candidates on several recent occasions? Libertarian Party Socialist People's Party Green Party Red-Green Alliance

Green Party

Which of the following statements is true of political parties and interest groups? Political parties address a narrower array of issues than interest groups do. Interest groups provide citizens with a way to get involved with the political system, but political parties do not. Both interest groups and political parties nominate and formally run candidates for office. Interest groups are usually smaller than political parties.

Interest groups are usually smaller than political parties.

Which of the following accurately describes Democratic Party representation in the U.S. Congress after the 2020 elections? It holds a slight margin in the senate and is the minority party in the House. It holds a slight margin in the house and is the minority party in the senate. It is the minority party in both the house and the senate. It holds slight advantages in both the house and the senate.

It holds slight advantages in both the house and the senate.

______ is considered the father of the modern Republican Party in Texas because his victory in the 1961 senate race laid the foundation for the growth of the Republican Party. John Tower Bruce Alger Phil Gramm George W. Bush

John Tower

Which of the following is currently the most prominent ideological political party in Texas? Democratic Party Republican Party Libertarian Party Green Party

Libertarian Party

Why is it critical for the Democratic Party in Texas to get more voters to the polls? Democrats would benefit if more married couples would vote. Suburban White voters need to vote because they are a key constituency for Democrats. Democrats would benefit if more upper middle-class people would vote. Minority voters turn out at a lower rate than White voters.

Minority voters turn out at a lower rate than White voters.

How do interest groups and political parties differ? Political parties consist of people with common goals, while interest groups do not. Political parties nominate and formally run candidates for public office, while interest groups do not. Political parties address a narrower range of issues than interest groups do. Political parties are usually smaller than interest groups.

Political parties nominate and formally run candidates for public office, while interest groups do not.

Which of the following is true of bipartisanship in Texas politics? Committee chairs are equally divided between Republicans and Democrats. There have been no bipartisan appointments in the history of Texas politics. Democratic leaders have never appointed a Republican committee chair. Republican leaders have appointed several Democratic committee chairs.

Republican leaders have appointed several Democratic committee chairs.

Who established the Reform Party when he ran for president in the 1990s? Ralph Nader Michel Dukakis Ross Perot Al Gore

Ross Perot

Which of the following indicates that partisanship still exists in the Texas legislature? The voter identification bill and recent redistricting map votes have been along party lines. Expertise, experience, and the ability to get along are taken into account when chair appointments are made. Democrats have found themselves chairing important committees. A large majority of bills that pass in the Texas house do so with little or no opposition.

The voter identification bill and recent redistricting map votes have been along party lines.

What challenge do Texas Democrats currently face? They must work to maintain the incumbency advantage they hold over Republicans in the Texas house. They must use the benefits of gerrymandering to maintain their slim majority in the Texas Senate. They must reassert themselves in the Texas political arena, where Republicans control a majority in both the house and senate. They must find a way to heal the rift in the Democratic Party between conservative and progressive factions.

They must reassert themselves in the Texas political arena, where Republicans control a majority in both the house and senate.

A bill is required to have _______ to be brought to the floor of the Texas senate. a simple majority vote broad bipartisan support a three- fifths vote a two-thirds vote

a three- fifths vote

If the Democratic Party wants to win in Texas now, which of the following should it do? pay less attention to Latino voters appeal to suburban White voters on issues like education reduce its ties to working-class White people and union members move away from its progressive and liberal bases

appeal to suburban White voters on issues like education

The easiest way for most people to get involved within a political party is by ________. attending a precinct convention attending a county convention serving on the state executive committee serving as a county chair

attending a precinct convention

Which of the following groups in Texas is more likely to vote Republican than Democrat? liberals those who have been to graduate school in fields other than medicine or law African Americans business owners

business owners

Question: When a party comprises different subgroups that band together for the main purpose of winning elections, the party is considered to have a(n) ______ structure. democratic ideological coalitional republican

coalitional

One issue for Democrats has been the inability to win races below the level of governor or U.S. senator, referred to as _____. down-ballot races minor candidacies third-party races grassroots offices

down-ballot races

Divisions within a political party are known as ________. interest groups constituencies coalitions factions

factions

A party that has a(n) _______ structure is one that is united by a single principle or a narrowly defined set of principles to which all members are expected to adhere. hierarchical ideological coalitional democratic

ideological

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, each major party held their state conventions _____. in socially distanced town hall meetings in Oklahoma City online without electing state chairs

online

What 2019 initiative was passed unanimously by the Texas Senate, showing that the major parties can work together on certain issues? pay raises for Texas teachers financial support for the cruise line industry a memorandum of support for the Affordable Care Act environmental standards for hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking"

pay raises for Texas teachers

The Tea Party is a(n) _______. ideological political party coalitional political party political movement within the Democratic Party political movement within the Republican Party

political movement within the Republican Party

Frustrated by budget cutbacks and political inaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, Juan decides to organize the high school teachers in San Antonio into a collective political organization. Their specific goal is to elect blue-collar candidates who won't disregard their concerns about the current state of education in Texas. Based on this information, Juan's political movement would be described as _____. nationalistic libertarian a "top-down" approach populist

populist

Which of the following best characterizes Texas voter turnout for the 2020 presidential election, suggesting that Texas might soon be a "purple" state? very close to the average turnout for Texans in presidential elections good turnout but still lower than the previous presidential election the highest level of turnout since 1992 the lowest level of turnout since the Reagan-era of the 1980s

the highest level of turnout since 1992

What is the main goal of both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party in Texas? to provide an avenue for people to get involved in the political system to win elections to form a coalition with people who share all the same views to fulfill the role of parties as outlined in the U.S. Constitution

to win elections

The 105 years of Democratic control of the governor's office in Texas ended with the ________. election of Jim Hightower in 1982 victory of Bill Clements in 1978 nomination of Tony Sanchez in 2002 election of George W. Bush in 1994

victory of Bill Clements in 1978

What is generally considered to be the easiest way for citizens in a democracy to express their choices? grassroots activism voting participating in a party convention running for political office

voting

In 1975, ____ was made chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, despite being a Republican in a legislature controlled by the opposing party. This began a tradition in Texas of bipartisan appointment of committee chairs. Ann Richards Bill White Dan Patrick Tom Craddick

Tom Craddick

The statement of principles passed by a political party's convention is known as a _______. platform pledge resolution petition

platform

Which of the following is a political movement of ordinary people who feel their concerns have been disregarded by those in power? technocratic elite pluralist liberal populist

populist

Which of the following positions in Texas is the basic elected official of the party, is elected in the party primary, receives no salary, and is elected to a two-year term with no limits? county chair precinct chair state chair vice chair

precinct chair

Which of the following represents the order in which conventions are held in Texas? county, precinct, state precinct or county, state, senatorial district senatorial district, precinct, state precinct, county or senatorial district, state

precinct, county or senatorial district, state

Who was the last non-Republican governor of Texas, elected in 1990? Mark White Pat Neff Wendy Davis Ann Richards

Ann Richards

Which statement comparing the structures of the Democratic and Republican parties in Texas is accurate? The Democratic Party has county conventions, while the Republican Party has district conventions. The Democratic Party has precinct conventions, while the Republican Party does not. The Republican Party has a state convention, while the Democratic Party does not. Both parties have similar structures that include conventions and elected offices.

Both parties have similar structures that include conventions and elected offices.

Who used his power to modify the rule so that a bill can be brought to the floor with a three-fifths vote, significantly changing the balance of power in the Texas legislature? George W. Bush Greg Abbott Ted Cruz Dan Patrick

Dan Patrick

After the 2012 election, Democrats controlled the U.S. Senate, and Republicans controlled the U.S. House of Representatives. What did this mean from a power perspective? Both the House and Senate had committee chairs from both parties. The Senate had committee chairs from both parties, while the House had committee chairs that were all Republicans. The House had committee chairs from both parties, while the Senate had committee chairs that were all Democrats. Every chair of every Senate committee was a Democrat, and every chair of every House committee was a Republican.

Every chair of every Senate committee was a Democrat, and every chair of every House committee was a Republican.

Which third party emerged in the late 1960s from the student-led Mexican American Youth Organization of St. Mary's University? United Farm Workers Tea Party Chicanos Por La Causa Raza Unida Party

Raza Unida Party

Doug is 41 years old, White, and married. He has a college education and lives in the suburbs. Based on this demographic information, he is statistically more likely to vote for which party in Texas? Libertarian Party Green Party Democratic Party Republican Party

Republican Party

Which of the following is true of Texas's 2021 session? Republicans hold most statewide executive offices and control both the house and the senate. Republicans hold all statewide executive offices and control the senate (but not the house). Republicans hold most statewide executive offices and the house (but not the senate). Republicans hold all statewide executive offices and control both the house and the senate.

Republicans hold all statewide executive offices and control both the house and the senate.

Why was Texas still not able to be considered a two-party state in 1986? Republicans still had no representation in the state legislature. Republicans had not won a U.S. Senate seat since Reconstruction. Republicans were still unable to win statewide down-ballot races. Republicans were still unable to win the governor's office.

Republicans were still unable to win statewide down-ballot races.

Which of the following demographic facts is true and may help the Democratic Party in Texas? The Black population is growing as a percentage of the population of Texas. Non-Hispanic White people will continue to be a majority of the Texas electorate into the middle of the 21st century. "Yellow-dog" Democrats are becoming a larger and more important part of the voting pool. The Hispanic population will eventually be the majority population in Texas.

The Hispanic population will eventually be the majority population in Texas.

Why is it beneficial for political parties that their platforms tend to garner limited coverage from the media? The principles in the party platforms are usually misaligned with the beliefs of the average voter. Party platforms usually remain incomplete until after candidates are elected to office. Voters are strongly swayed by the details in the party platform. Investigative journalism has had historical success in convincing the public about problems contained within the party platforms.

The principles in the party platforms are usually misaligned with the beliefs of the average voter.

Which of the following statements accurately differentiates between county conventions and district conventions in Texas? County conventions are held immediately after district conventions. County conventions are held by the Republican Party; district conventions are held by the Democratic Party. County conventions are held by rural counties; district conventions are held by urban counties. County conventions are the first level in the convention structure of political parties; district conventions are the last level.

County conventions are held by rural counties; district conventions are held by urban counties.