American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

176 CHAPTER 6|POLITICAL PARTIES

Contesting Elections

In modern American politics virtually everyone elected to a state or national

political offi ce is either a Republican or a Democrat. In the 111th Congress, elected

in 2012, there were only two independent senators and no independent House

members. In fall 2012, a total of 49 of 50 states’ governors were either Democrats

or Republicans; and of more than 7,300 state legislators, very few were indepen-

dents or minor-party candidates, including those elected with Tea Party support.

RECRUITING AND NOMINATING CANDIDATES

Actions taken inside party organizations shape citizens’ choices on Election Day.

Historically, the recruitment of candidates was left up to local party organizations.

But the process has become much more systematic, with national party leaders play-

ing a central role in fi nding and recruiting candidates—and often promising those

candidates help in assembling a staff , organizing a campaign, and raising money.^27

For all of these eff orts, though, parties do not control who runs in House or Sen-

ate races. In most states, candidates for these offi ces are selected in a primary

primary A ballot vote in which
citizens select a party’s nominee for
the general election.

TABLETABLE » »^ 5.16.2

Many groups, such as African Americans and white evangelicals, are much more

likely to affi liate with one party than the other. What are the implications of these

diff erences for the positions taken by each party’s candidates?

DEMOCRATIC/

LEAN DEMOCRATIC

REPUBLICAN/

LEAN REPUBLICAN

Gender Male

Female

43%

52

47%

42

Age 18–29

30+

52%

45

39%

47

Race White

African American

39%

86

52%

8

Region Northeast

Midwest

South

West

45%

38

35

41

41%

50

57

50

Education No college

Some college

College graduate

48%

46

59

44%

45

41

Religion White evangelical

White mainline Protestant

White Catholic

32%

40

40

60%

49

50

Source: Pew Research Center, “GOP Makes Big Gains among White Voters,” July 22, 2011, http://www

.people-press.org/2011/07/22/gop-makes-big-gains-among-white-voters/ (accessed 9/17/12).

THE PARTY COALITIONS