Chapter 7 Vocabulary

Caucus

a meeting of party leaders to select candidates, elect convention

delegates, etc.

a meeting of party members within a legislative body to select leaders

and determine strategy.

Congressional Campaign Committee

a party committee in Congress that provides funds to members who are running for reelection or to

would-be members running for an open sear or challenging a

candidate from the opposition party

Direct Primary

a primary in which members of a party nominate its candidates by

direct vote.

Economic-Protest Parties

parties, usually based in a particular region, especially involving

farmers, that protest against depressed economic conditions.

These tend to disappear as conditions improve.

Factional Parties

parties that are created by a split in a major party, usually over the identity and philosophy of the

major party’s presidential candidate

First Party System

the political system existing in the US between roughly 1792 and 1824. it featured two national

parties that competed for control of the Presidency, Congress, and

the States: the Federalists and the Republicans.

Ideological Party

values principles, spurns money incentives, and is usually

contentious and factionalized.

Initiative

a procedure by which a specified number of voters may propose a statute,

constitutional amendment, or ordinance, and compel a popular vote

on its adoption.

the general right or ability to present a new bill or measure, as in a legislature.

Mugwumps

a Republican who bolted the party in 1884, refusing to support

presidential candidate James G. Blaine.

National Chairman

a paid, full-time manager of a party’s day-to-day work who is

elected by the national committee.

National Committee

a committee of delegates from each state and territory that runs party

affairs between national conventions.

National Party Convention

convention in which a party gathers together to decide who will be their candidate for president.

Old Guard

the conservative element of any political party, esp. the Republican

party.

One-Issue Parties

parties seeking a single policy, usually revealed by their names,

and aboiding other issues.

Personal Following

the political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal

popularity and networks.

Plurality System

an electoral system, used in almost all American elections, in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes, even if s/he does not receive a majority of the votes.

Political Machine

a group that controls the activities of a political party; "he was endorsed

by the Democratic machine

Political Party

an organization to gain political power; "in 1992 Perot tried to organize a third party at the

national level" 

Second Party System

the political system existing in the United States from about 1828 to 1854. the major parties were the Democratic Party and the Whig

Party.

Solidary Group

Solidary Incentive

the social rewards that lead people to join local or state political

organizations.

Special Interest Caucus

A meeting of people with similar interests, such as organizations to represent African Americans and

homosexuals.

Sponsored Party

A local or state political party that is largely staffed and funded by

another organization with established networks in the

community.

Super Delegates

Party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention with out having to run in primaries or

caucuses.

Two-Party System

a political system consisting chiefly of two major parties, more or less

equal in strength.

Unit Rule

(in national conventions of the Democratic party) a rule whereby

a state's delegation votes as a unit, not recognizing minority votes within the delegation.

Winner-Take-All System

Just like it sounds, the winner takes everything, even if they just won

by one vote.