CHAPTER 7
Political Parties
IMPORTANT TERMS
*caucus
An alternative to a state primary in which party
followers meet, often for many hours, to select
party candidates.
*congressional campaign committee
Separate committees in Congress for each political
party to help members who are running for
reelection or would-be members running for an
open seat or challenging a candidate from the
opposition party.
direct primary
A proposal originated by progressive reformers to
open up political parties to their membership. It
permits a vote of party members to select the
party’s nominee in the general election.
economic-protest parties
Parties, usually based in a particular region,
especially involving farmers, that protest against
depressed economic conditions. These tend to
disappear as conditions improve. An example
would be the Greenback party.
factional parties
Parties that are created by a split in a major party,
usually over the identity and philosophy of the
major party’s presidential candidate. An example
would be the “Bull Moose” Progressive party.
first party system
The original party structure in which political
parties were loose caucuses of political notables in
various locations. It was replaced around 1824.
*ideological party
A political party organization that values principle
above all else and spurns money incentives for
members to participate.
initiative
A proposal favored by progressive reformers to
curtail corruption. It allows a law to be enacted
directly by vote of the people without approval of a
legislative body.
*mugwumps (or progressives)
One of two major factions, largely within the
Republican party, who opposed the heavy emphasis
on patronage and disliked the party machinery
because it only permitted bland candidates to rise to
the top, was fearful of immigrants, and wanted to
see the party take unpopular stances on certain
issues. They challenged the Old Guard from around
1896 to the 1930s.
*national chair
The person responsible for managing the day-today work of a national political party. The person is
given a full-time, paid position and is elected by the
national committee.
*national committee
Delegates from each state and territory who
manage party affairs between national conventions.
These exist at the national level for both major
political parties.
*national party convention
The ultimate authority in both major political
parties in the United States. The conventions are
held every four years to nominate each party’s
candidate for the presidency.
Old Guard
One of two major factions, largely within the
Republican party, composed of the party regulars
and professional politicians. They were
preoccupied with building up the party machinery,
developing party loyalty, and acquiring and
dispensing patronage. They were challenged by
progressives from around 1896 to the 1930s.
one-issue parties
Parties seeking a single policy, usually revealed by
their names, and avoiding other issues. An example
would be the Free Soil party.
*personal following
A type of local party organization in which a
candidate gets people to work for him or her for a
campaign and then the organization disbands until
the next election. To run this type of campaign, a
candidate needs an appealing personality, name
recognition, a lot of friends, and a large bank
account.
*plurality system
An electoral system in which the winner is that
person who gets the most votes, even if they do not
constitute a majority of the votes.
*political machine
A political party organization that recruits its
members by the use of tangible incentives and is
characterized by a high degree of leadership control
over members’ activities.
*political party
A group that seeks to elect candidates to public
office by supplying them with a label by which
they are known to the electorate.
second party system
The second party structure in the nation’s history,
which emerged when Andrew Jackson first ran for
the presidency in 1824. The system was built from
the bottom-up as political participation became a
mass phenomenon.
solidary group
A political party organization based on gregarious
or game-loving instincts. It survives on the basis of
a friendship network.
*solidary incentive
An inducement that attracts people out of
gregarious or game-loving instincts. It is one reason
why people become involved in a state or local
party organization.
special interest caucus
A group within a political party united by a concern
over a specific cause. The Democratic party has
attempted to assure many special-interest groups
representation at its national convention, although
lately the party has moved away from this
commitment.
*sponsored party
A political party organization created or sponsored
by another organization. This form of local party
organization is rare in the United States.
*superdelegates
Elected officials and party leaders present at the
national convention of the Democratic party.
*two-party system
An electoral system with two dominant parties that
compete in state or national elections. Third parties
have little chance of winning.
unit rule
A requirement that all delegates representing a state
at a national party convention vote with the
majority of their state delegation.
winner-take-all system
An element of the electoral system used in the
United States which precludes proportional
representation, either in the Electoral College or
Congress.