Political parties play a central role in American politics by clearly communicating ideological positions to voters, supporting candidates that implement party goals, and being held responsible by voters during elections. Parties have evolved over time from loosely organized factions to the centralized and institutionalized organizations of today. There are differences between the parties in how they achieve legitimacy with voters and how they function within the divided government system of separation of powers between Congress and the presidency.

1. PO 375
Fall 2016

5.  Parties present clear ideological position to
voters
 Candidates support/implement party goals
 Voters hold party responsible during elections
 Parties control elected members

7.  Pre-Party Era
 “King Caucus”
 Partisan Era
 PoliticalConventions
 “Smoke-Filled” Rooms
 Transitional Era
 Patronage Reform
 Primaries/Caucuses
 Post-Partisan Era
 McGovern-Fraser
 Outsider Candidates

10. ELECTORAL DIFFERENCES
 Dual Democratic
Legitimacy
 Timing
 Electoral Base
 Coattail Effects
INSTITUTIONAL DIFFERENCES
 Separation of Powers
 Different Constituencies
 Divided Government
 “Vanishing Marginals”
 Chamber Control
 Political Importance?
 Success Rate / “Batting Average”
 Hyperpartisanship and
Polarization

12.  Appointments
 Loyalty vs. Competence
 Benefits to Naming Loyalists; Challenges to
Competence
 Reorganization
 Replacement
 Layering – Political appts. above career personnel
 Informal Methods – Leave job open; recess appts.

17.  House is more party-centric
 Senate more individualistic
 House and Senate Organization
 Floor Leaders andWhips
 Policy and Steering Committees
 Party Conference and Caucuses
 Informal Groups (e.g. Freedom Caucus; Blue Dog Coalition)
 Campaign Organizations
 House: NRCC (GOP) and DCCC (Dem)
 Senate: NRSC (GOP) and DSCC (Dem)