Page 11-15 Flashcards
Commission that brought significant representation changes to the party. It made future conventions more democratic by including more minority representation.
McGovern-Frasier Commission
The governing body of a political party made up of state and national party leaders
National committee
The governing authority of the political party. They give direction to the national party chairperson, the spokesperson of the party, and the person who heads the national committee, the governing body of the party. They are also the forums where presidential candidates are given the official nod by their parties.
National nominating conventions
A term created by the Democratic Leadership Council in 1992, it denotes a more conservative, centrist Democrat.
New Democrat
A shift away from the major political parties to a more neutral, independent ideological view of party identification.
Party dealignment
A time period characterized by national dominance by one political party. There have been four major party eras in American history—the era of good feeling, the Republican era following the Civil War, the Democratic era following the election of Franklin Roosevelt, and the Republican era following the election of Richard Nixon.
Party eras
The party organization that exists on the local level and uses patronage as the means to keep the party members in line. Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall are examples.
Party machine
Voted on by the delegates attending the National Convention, they represent the ideological point of view of a political party.
Party platforms
The signaling resulting from a national election or a major shift in the political spectrum and characterized by the start of a party era.
Party realignment
The different ways an average citizen gets involved in the political process ranging from conventional means of influencing government to more radical unconventional tools that have influenced our elected officials.
Political participation
A group of people joined together by common philosophies and common approaches with the aim of getting candidates elected in order to develop and implement public policy. It is characterized by an organization that is responsible to the electorate and has a role in government.
Political party
Traditional Democratic middle-class voters turning to Ronald Reagan during the 1980s.
Reagan Democrats
An evangelical conglomeration of ultraconservative political activists, many of whom support the Republican Party.
Religious right
Democratic party leaders and elected party officials who automatically are selected as delegates to the National Convention.
Superdelegates
Political parties that can be described as ideological, single-issue oriented, economically motivated, and personality driven. Examples include the Free Soil Party, Know Nothings, Populist, and Bull Moose Parties.
Third political parties
Party regulars meeting in small groups asking questions, discussing qualifications regarding the candidate, and voting on whether to endorse a particular candidate. The Iowa caucus has taken on almost as much important as the New Hampshire primary because of its timing.
Caucus
An increase reflected in presidential preference polls immediately following a party’s nominating convention.
Convention bump
Voters, including cross-over voters from other political parties, can express a preference for candidates.
Direct primary
Where presidential candidates are selected and a separate slate of delegates is also voted on. New Hampshire uses this type of primary.
Dual primary
The presidential candidate backed by the home state at the party’s nominating convention.
Favorite son
A significant deviation between the way men and women vote.
Gender gap
A major characteristic of the modern presidential campaign. The use of paid political ads, 30- and 60-second sports, paid infomercials incorporating charts and graphs, and sophisticated polling techniques have all been used in recent campaigns.
High-tech campaign
Paid political commercials usually lasting longer than the average 30- or 60-second paid political ad.
Infomercials
Key speech at the national nominating convention that outlines the themes of the campaign.
Keynote address
Limited federal funds given to presidential candidates that match private donations raised during the campaign.
Matching funds
Where voters choose delegates who are not bound to vote for the winning primary candidate.
Non-preferential primary
Also known as the party conference, it is a means for each party to develop a strategy or position on a particular issue.
Party caucus
Enrolled party members who are usually active in the organization o fa political party and support party positions and nominated candidates.
Party regulars
Known as PACs, they raise money from the special interest constituents and make contributions to political campaigns on behalf of the special interest group.
Political action committees
Elections held in individual states to determine the preference of the voters and to allocate the number of delegates to the party’s national convention.
Presidential primary
The Tuesday on which a number of primary votes take place, with a heavy concentration of Southern states voting.
Super Tuesday