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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