Parties, Interest Groups, Elections/Campaigns in Texas Chapter 26 O’Connor and Sabato American...

Parties, Interest Groups, Elections/Campaigns in TexasChapter 26

O’Connor and Sabato

American Government: Continuity and Change

Parties, Interest Groups, Elections/Campaigns in Texas In this chapter we will cover….

1. Roots of Political Parties, Interest Groups, Elections, and Campaigns in Texas2. Political Parties in Texas3. Interest Groups in Texas4. Elections and Political Campaigns in Texas

Roots of Political Parties, Interest Groups, Elections, and Campaigns in Texas Political parties and interest groups developed

slowly in Texas Democratic Party dominance Early interest groups - agrarian and Grange Post WWII – economy and society became more

complex and represented broader interests Campaigns were originally personal loyalties; were

transformed into partisan or faction groups

Political Parties in Texas

Political Parties perform functions through

1. party organization

2. party in the electorate

3. party in the government

Party Organization

Formal organization includes both a temporary and permanent organization for each political party

Functional organization provides a skeleton for party organization

Political parties’ lack of unity detracts from their effectiveness

Party in the Electorate

Most important function for party organization is to win elections – mobilizing interest in the party’s goals and candidates among voters

Party in the electorate consists of people who identify with the party and consider themselves members

Party Identification in Texas, Selected Years 1952-2001

Party in the Electorate Recent changes in party attachment shows

-decrease in Democrats

-increase in Republican

-increase in the percentage of independent voters

Party realignment in Texas triggered by critical elections has changed the distribution of partisan attachments

Party in the Electorate Realignment has resulted in changes

including the following:young voters more likely to be Republicans

new residents more likely to be Republican It is also possible that dealignment is

occurring, not realignment (in dealignment party affiliation weakens)

Party in the Government

Party in the government is the political party’s mechanism for establishing cooperation among separate branches of government

Considerations in party in the government:

executive branch – plural executive

legislative branch – institutional leadership reduces party organizational strength

judicial branch – partisan elections ballot and gubernatorial appointive authority impact effective party organization

Interest Groups in Texas

Types: Business and trade (oil and gas industry) Professional (lawyers and teachers) Labor (municipal workers) Racial and ethnic groups (NAACP &

LULAC) Public interest groups (common cause)

Interest Groups in Texas

Interest activities Lobbying Electioneering Litigation

Elections & Campaigns

Type of elections

In Texas elections are frequent, the ballots tend to be longer, and the legislature has established uniformed election dates. Primary Special general Local elections

Elections & Campaigns

Texas Campaigns: should provide opportunity for voters to compare candidates on issues and views

Factors influencing campaigns Money Media Marketing

Elections & Campaigns

Voters Decision (yes/no) Turnout low in Texas:

Benefits of voting Impact of “motor voter” laws Early voting rates Legal requirements Cost of voting Changing composition of electorate

Elections & Campaigns

Vote Decision Psychological factors

Party identification Issues Candidate characteristics

Voting behavior Split ticket Straight ticket

Voter Turnout in Texas, 1958-2002