Guide to U.S. Political Parties

Marjorie Randon Hershey is a professor of political science at Indiana University–Bloomington and is affiliated with the Indiana University School of Philanthropic Studies. She received a PhD at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has taught at Indiana for most of her professional career. Hershey is the author of the primary textbook on political parties, Party Politics in America (Pearson), now in its sixteenth edition. She has also written two other books about political campaigns and candidates: Running for Office: The Political Education of Campaigners (Chatham House, 1984) and The Making of Campaign Strategy (Heath-Lexington, 1974), as well as more than 40 articles in professional journals, including the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Communication, Polity, and the Social Science Quarterly, and chapters in edited volumes.Her research centers on the behavior of American political party activists and the degree to which they share views on issues and social-demographic characteristics with less active Americans. She has also published extensively on the ways in which media reports interpret themeaning of election results at the presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial levels and the process by which certain types of explanations of those vote totals become widely accepted as “fact,” even in the absence of much evidence to support them.

• About the EditorContributorsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction - Marjorie Randon Hershey and Edward M. BurmilaWho is Included in a "Party"?Different Definitions of "Party"Central Themes in the Study of Political PartiesPlan of the GuidePart I. What Are Parties For?1. Parties and the Respone to Change: The Representation and Mobilization of Divisions in a Nation - Mark D. Brewer and Jeffrey M. StonecashThe Nature of Party Coalitional ChangeParties, Conflict, and the Challenge of Social ChangePartisan Responses to ChangeConclusion2. Political Parties: Recruiting Leaders and Structuring Elections - Jamie L. CarsonRelationships Between Political Parties and Their CandidatesChallenges to the Parties′ Role Posed by Progressive Era ReformsUnintended Consequences of Candidate-Selection ReformsDecline and Resurgence of Parties′ Roles in Nominating Candidates and Structuring ElectionsHow the Parties Regained an Important Role in CampaignsConclusion3. Parties as Coordinators: Can Parties Unite What the Constitution Divides? - Frances E. LeeParties as Centralizers: Theory and PracticeBuilding Majorities: Procedural and SubstantiveEnacting PoliciesDo Parties Promote Policy Coherence?Bridging the Separation of Powers?Promoting AccountabilityThe Parties and the Constitution4. What the Parties Stand For - Hans NoelUnderstanding Changes in Party PhilosophiesThe First Party System (1789-1824): The Great PrincipleThe Second Party System (1828-1854): Reemergent ConflictThe Third Party System (1854-1892): The Irresistible Force of SlaveryThe Fourth Party System (1896-1932): The Progressive EraThe Fifth Party System (1932-) and Beyond: Liberalism Versus ConservatismParty Ideologies in the Twenty-First Century5. Parties in the American Political Environment: Shaped, Adaptive, and Shapers - Paul A. BeckThe Constitutional Framework and Political PartiesThe Uniqueness of the American PartiesEnvironmental Change and Shifting Powers Within PartiesThe Lens Reversed: Parties Shaping Their EnvironmentsEmerging Environmental Challenges to the PartiesConclusionPart II. Historical Development of the Parties6. The Origins and Development of U.S. Political Parties, 1790-1861Clashing Views About GovernmentThe Parties’ CoalitionsThe Parties FadeA Populist Party SystemThe Rise of Van BurenParty OrganizationsThe Whigs and the DemocratsSectional TensionNew Parties AriseConclusion7. Political Parties in the Age of Industrialization: From Their Golden Age Through the Progressive Era - Jeffrey D. GrynaviskiThe Golden Age of PartiesPolitical Party OrganizationVoter BehaviorThe Progressive EraConclusion8. Constructing a New Majority: The Depression, the New Deal, and the Democrats - Kristi AndersenParty Politics in the 1920sA Changing ElectorateThe Great Depression and Party PoliticsThe Mechanics of Political Change: Mobilization and ConversionThe Democrats Organize a CoalitionParty System ConsolidationConclusion9. Partisanship, Sectionalism, and Race: Civil Rights and Party Development From the 1950s Through the 1970s - Jeffery A. JenkinsBackground to the EraThe Eisenhower YearsThe Kennedy/Johnson YearsThe Nixon/Ford YearsThe Carter Years and BeyondConclusion10. Parties Revised and Revived: Democrats and Republicans in the Age of Reagan, 1980 to 2000 - David KarolParties in the Electorate: The End of Democratic DominanceChanging Party CoalitionsThe Parties and the PresidencyThe Parties in CongressThe Democratic Response to ReaganThird-Party Developments in the 1980s and 1990sConclusion: Parties Revised and Revived11. Polarization and Volatility: The State of the Party System in the Twenty-First Century - Casey B.K. DominguezPolitical Events in the First Decade of the Twenty-First CenturyThe Party as OrganizationParty in the ElectorateParty in GovernmentUnderstanding OutcomesProspects for Future ChangeConclusionPart III. Party Organizations12. The Nature of Party Organizations - Daniel DiSalvoParty StructuresParty DevelopmentParty Organizations in CongressConclusion13. From Machines to Service Centers: The Evolution of State and Local Political Parties - Vladimir KoganThe Anatomy of the PartyMachine Politics in the CityEra of Political ReformAdaptation and Resurgence: Party Activities in the Modern EraSurvival in the Twenty-First Century: Emerging Challenges14. The Transformation of the National Party Committees - Daniel J. GalvinThe Timing and Process of Party ChangeThe Republican National Committee’s Transformation Into a Service InstitutionThe Democratic National Committee’s Delayed Transformation Into a Service InstitutionConclusion15. The Impact of Reform on National Party Financing and Campaigning - Paul S. HerrnsonThe Institutional SettingParty Finance During the Golden AgeParty Finance and the Federal Election Campaign ActParty Finance and the Bipartisan Campaign Reform ActParty Finance in the Post-BCRA EraPolitical Parties as Enduring Multilayered Coalitions16. Party Activists - Geoffrey C. LaymanPerspectives on Parties and Party ActivistsAmateurs and Professionals: The Political Incentives and Norms of Party ActivistsParty Activists and Partisan ChangeActivists and Party PolarizationConclusion17. Vote-Seeking Third Parties in the Twentieth Century - Ronald B. Rapoport and Justin de Benedictis-KessnerCategorizations of Third PartiesFactional PartiesRegional Versus National PartiesCharacteristics of Candidates and CampaignsThird Parties and the Institutional EnvironmentThe Institutional ContextOpportunities for Success: The Political EnvironmentComparing the CampaignsThe Dynamic of Third PartiesPart IV. Parties in the Electorate18. The Nature of Partisan Identification - Marc J. HetheringtonWhat Is Partisanship?The Distribution of PartisanshipWhere Party Identification Comes FromBeyond Socialization and GroupsThe Effects of Party IdentificationConclusion19. Party Identification and Issue Attitudes - Logan DanceyThe Partisan DivideHow Voters Align Party and Issues PositionsThe Normative ImplicationsConclusions and Remaining Questions20. Independents and American Elections - Russell J. DaltonThe Evidence of Weakening Party TiesThe Consequences of DealignmentIndependents and Electoral Politics21. Primary Elections and Caucuses - Barbara NorranderDirect PrimariesThe Presidential Nomination ProcessConcerns About Primary Elections22. Partisanship in General Elections - Helmut NorpothParty Identification and the VoteRivals of Party IdentificationIssue Opinions in General ElectionsCandidate Perceptions in General ElectionsThe Impact of Issues and CandidatesCycles and Equilibrium in General ElectionsConclusion23. Differing Views on Polarization of the Electorate - Thomas M. CarseyIs the Electorate Polarized Now?Causes of Party Polarization in the ElectorateThe Consequences of Party Polarization in the ElectorateConclusionPart V. Parties in Government24. Ebbs and Flows in the Power of Congressional Party Leaders Since 1910 - Bruce I. OppenheimerMoving in Opposite Directions, 1910–1915Republican Dominance Followed by Democratic Control, 1919–1937The Conservative Coalition and the Independent Power of Committee Chairs, 1937-1970The Return of Stronger Parties, 1970 to the Present 317Conclusion25. Differences in Party Leadership and Control Among the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and State Legislatures - Jennifer Hayes Clark and Gerald C. WrightLegislative Leadership: Structure and OrganizationWhere’s the Party? Assessing Contemporary Debates of Party PowerLeadership, Gatekeeping Rights, and Majority Roll RatesAnalyses and ResultsConclusion26. What Influence Do the Parties Have in the Presidency and the Bureaucracy? - Jesse H. RhodesParties, the Presidency, and the ConstitutionThe Rise of Political Parties and the Transformation of the PresidencyThe Progressive Movement and Challenges to the Nineteenth-Century Party SystemThe Modern Presidency and the Transformation of the American Party SystemFrom the High Tide of the Modern Presidency to the Reemergence of Party PoliticsConclusion27. Partisan Control of Government and Public Policy - David R. JonesParty Differentiation in Policy PreferencesPresidential Relations With CopartisansPolicy Outcomes Under Divided Versus Unified GovernmentPolicy Outcomes Under Democratic Versus Republican ControlChanges in Party ControlConclusion28. Political Parties and the Changing Media Environment - Marjorie Randon Hershey and Jessica Gall MyrickRelationships Between the Parties and the MediaHow the Party-Media Relationship Has ChangedHow Parties Use the Digital MediaHow the Media Constrain the Parties’ GoalsConclusionPart VI. Parties in Their Environment29. Political Parties and Interest Groups: Parties as Networks - Richard M. SkinnerGroups and the Party NetworksMembers of the Party NetworksInterest Groups and Political Parties: Personnel and ResourcesGroups as Policy DemandersParty-Group TensionsConclusion30. The Standard of Responsible Parties - John J. ColemanThe Debate Over Responsible and Functional PartiesChallenges Facing Responsible Parties in the United StatesEpisodes of Responsible Party GovernmentThe Current Era and Party ResponsibilityPolarization and the Responsible Party IdealConclusion31. Political Parties and Economic Inequality - Lawrence R. JacobsPolitical Parties and Economic StructureInformation and PowerSo What?Disciplined Parties and DemocracyConclusion - Marjorie Randon HersheySelecting LeadersPolicy Coordination Within GovernmentHolding Leaders AccountableWhat Happens Next?Summing UpIndex