1. Political Parties

2. Political Party Definition A Political party is a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office

3. What Do Political Parties Do? • Nominate Candidates • Inform / Activate Supporters • “Bonding Agent” Function • Ensures the good performance of its candidates and officeholders • Govern • Act as Watchdog • Party out of power keeps the party in power in check • Makes sure party in power is staying responsive to the people • Main Purpose: Dominate Government • Want to dominate the Executive & Legislative branches

4. U.S. Party System • Two party system • Two major parties compete for office • Other minor parties exist • First two political parties • Federalist • Anti-Federalist • Major parties Today • Democratic Party • Republican Party

5. Minor Parties Generally of 4 types: • Ideological • Parties that are based on a particular set of beliefs • Single Issue • Parties that focus on only one public-policy matter • Economic Protest • Parties that are rooted in periods of economic discontent • Rise up during hard times and disappear as the nation reaches stability • Splinter • Parties that split away from one of the major parties • Form around a strong personality

6. Party Organization • Neither party has a chain of command running from the national through the state to the local level • Therefore, political parties are very fragmented and decentralized The National Convention • The Party’s “national voice” • Meets in the summer of every presidential election year to pick the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates The National Committee • Between conventions, the National Committee handles the parties affairs • Made up of a committeeman and committeewoman from each state

7. Party Organization • The National Chairperson • The leader of the national committee • The Congressional Campaign Committee • Each party has a campaign committee in each house of Congress • The committees • Work to reelect their party office-holders • Make sure that seats given up by retiring party members remain in the party • Take a hand in selected campaigns to unseat opposing party office-holders