Lecture 4:  Political Parties

Key Terms:

political party;  coalitions; party activists; ideological party; temporary elements;  permanent elements; precinct; precinct convention; resolutions; platform; precinct chair;  county party chair; county executive committee; ex officio;  state party chair;  state executive committee;  factions; Democrats of Texas;  down-ballot races

 

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I.        Parties, in general

A. What is a Party?
 
1. In Texas, a political party is a group of persons organized primarily for the purpose of controlling government through winning elections and holding public office. Winning elections is the name of the game.

2.  Historically, political parties are products of informal evolution. They are made up of people who are committed to a common set of public policies and programs. Although committed to a common cause, it is composed of very diverse groups that often disagree with each other on key issues, but with a common ideological goal.

3. The Democratic and Republican are the major parties, i.e., the dominant political parties in the United States. Neither of the parties are either principle — or issue — oriented. They are, instead, election-oriented.

4. The basic structure of the two major parties can best be described as coalitional.Coalitions are unions of many persons of diverse interests. They too are election — rather than issue-oriented.  These diverse groups frequently disagree with one another on significant issues.

5.  Parties are different from interest groups, who want only to influence public policy

6.  Four elements to a political party
 

a. Voters, a majority of whom consider themselves Democrats or Republicans

b. Party leaders, outside of government, who handle the party apparatus and can use it as a power base.

c. Party activists, who perform the day-to-day, grass-roots work.

d. Party leaders, in government, who include the president, leaders in Congress, and state and local leaders.
 

B. Without this competition there would be no choice, and without choice there would be no democracy.

A.  Major parties must draw from the center, often leading one party or the other from literally stealing the core idea or ideas that underpin many ideological parties.  An ideological party is one that is based on a particular set of beliefs, a comprehensive view of social, economic, and political matters. The Communist and Libertarian parties are examples of ideological parties.

B.  Both major parties divide their internal structures into what can be called temporary elements and permanent elements. Temporary elements are a series of conventions within the party; the permanent elements are elected offices within the political party.

A.  The Precinct Level

1. The voting precinct is a small geographical area created to facilitate the conduct of elections. It is the lowest level in the party convention system in the State of Texas.

2.  Every county in Texas is divided into such precincts, so the political parties have made this the basic entry level into their organization.  El Paso County is comprised of 169 voting precincts.

3.  The easiest way for people to get involved is to attend a precinct convention. A precinct convention, the lowest level in the party convention system, is a meeting held on the evening of the party's primary election for the purpose of electing officers and selecting delegates to either the county convention or the state senatorial district convention.

a. The precinct convention begins with the election of a convention chair and secretary; then participants move on to selecting delegates to either the county convention or the state senatorial district convention.

b. Each precinct is allocated delegates based on how many votes were case in that precinct to the party's last candidate for governor.   Mathematically, determined by a ratio:  one delegate for every twenty-five votes cast in the precinct at the last general election for the party's nominee for governor.

4. After the delegates are chosen, anyone participating in the convention may offer resolutions.Resolutions are statements that express the party's stance on an issue.

5.  Precinct conventions are sparsely attended.  It is very common to have more delegates to select that there are voters in attendance at the convention.

B.  The County (or District) Level

1.  Delegates chosen at the precinct conventions go on to either the county convention or the state senatorial district convention.

2.  Generally speaking, rural counties hold county conventions and urban counties hold district conventions.

a.  Counties that lie completely within a state senate district hold a county convention.

b.  Counties that contain more than one or parts of more than one state senate district (as does El Paso) hold a senatorial district convention in each district or part of a district.  A senatorial district convention is on the same level as a county convention.  El Paso County consists of two state senatorial districts: District 29 (Sen. Elliott Shapleigh) and District 19 (Sen. Carlos Uresti)

3.  At these county or state senatorial district conventions the agenda and rules are substantially similar to those of the precinct convention.

a.  The county or state senatorial district convention begins with the election of a convention chair and secretary; then participants move on to selecting delegates to the state convention.  The state delegate is part of a party's temporary elements.

b.  Each county or state senatorial district is allocated delegates based on a ratio:  one delegate for 300 votes cast in the county or part of a district with the county at the last general election for the party's nominee for governor.

4.  After the delegates are chosen, anyone participating in the convention may offer resolutions.

C.  The State Level

1. The highest of the party's temporary elements is the state convention.  State conventions, which typically last two to three days, are held in June of even-numbered years.

2.  The state convention, a temporary element, usually begins with the election of a convention chair and secretary, followed by a discussion of party rules and administrative responsibilities.

3.  One of the most important actions taken at the state convention is to finalize the state party platform.  The platform is the list of collective ideas and issues espoused by a party and which voters may use as a mechanism for assessing the party's candidates for office.

a.  The elements that make up the platform (the "planks") are those resolutions that rank-and-file party supporters got passed at the earlier conventions.

b.  To compare the most recent platforms of both the Texas Democrats and Texas Republicans, visit the party websites.

4.  In presidential election years, other state convention chores include electing delegates to the party's national nominating convention and selecting a list of potential presidential electors.  Presidential electors are important only if the party's candidate carries Texas in the general election.

A.  The Precinct Level

1.  Generally regarded as the jumping-off point for political involvement.

2. The precinct chair is the person who is the basic point of contact between the party and the people who support.  Elected by the party's voters in the primary election and serves, without pay, for a two-year term.  No term limits.

a.  Duties.  As much or as little as you want.  Activity levels vary greatly from precinct to precinct.

b.  Generally responsible for holding the party's primary election in the precinct.  Includes overseeing the polls on primary election day, lining up workers to help, and reporting results to the party's county office.

3.  Running for precinct chair involves no experience, no filing fee, and generally garners many votes, so not hard to win office.

B.  The County Level

1.County Party Chair is the individual responsible for overseeing the party's activities across the county, coordinating the input from the precinct chairs.  Elected by the party's voters in the primary election and serves, without pay, for a two-year term.  No term limits.

a.  Duties.  Much broader than that of precinct chair in that responsibilities are countywide, having to make sure every precinct has someone to oversee the election.

b.  Generally responsible for fundraising for the political party.

c.  Seen as the point of contact by those wo direct the campaigns for district or statewide offices.

2.  Helping the county chair carry out duties is the county executive committee. The county executive committee is composed of the party's precinct chairs in that county who serve as ex officio members of the committee. Ex officio is the designation of privilege of office holding by virtue of one's position.

a.  The county executive committee meets regularly with the county chair and perform whatever tasks that may be delegated to them.

b.  In larger urban areas, senatorial district committees may be formed over a larger geographic area, and perform the same function as the county executive committee.

C.  The State Level

1.  Choosing the party's highest elected officials takes place at the party's state convention.  The State Party Chair is the individual responsible for overseeing the party's activities across the state, coordinating the input from the county chairs. A party's state chair is chosen by state delegates, and, in a separate ballot, delegates elect a state vice-chair.  Serves, without pay, for a two-year term.  No term limits.

2.  A full-time job, doing all of the things of a county chair, but only statewide.

3.  The state chair presides over the state executive committee, whose membership includes one man and one woman from each of the state's thirty-one senatorial districts. The state executive committee, the highest permanent party organization, is the body that assists the state party chair in carrying out the many duties of office, including the planning and holding of state conventions.

a.  Members of the state executive committee are chosen by state convention delegates who divide into senatorial district caucuses for this purpose.

b. Members of the state executive committee serve, without pay, for a two-year term.  No term limits.

A.  The death of the Whig Party in the 1850s left a void in Texas politics that would be filled when the Texas branch of the Democrat Party formed officially in 1854.

B.  Initially, this new party was secure but did face challenge from its foes. By the time of the Civil War, the Democrats were in full control of Texas politics.

C.  The Republicans had not been popular before the war because of their position on slavery, and after Reconstruction, they were totally rejected, leaving Texans only with the Democrats to govern.

1. Most Reconstruction Republicans were removed from office by about 1873 after which Democrats held the governor's office for about 100 years.

2.  The major political battles would occur within the party, mainly between liberals, who favored government to be very active, and the conservatives, who believed government should not expend its powers into social and economic matters.  The Democratic Party was driven by factions during this period. Factions are identifiable sub-groups within a political party.

3.  The agrarian movement of the 1870s and 1880s consolidated the party for a while because of the excitement felt by all in efforts for progressive reform.

a.  This would last into the twentieth century before the old philosophical rivalry would be renewed. By the 1930s, the Depression brought back liberal tensions within the Texas Democratic Party.

b.  The controversy would intensify as liberal -progressive figures would rise to power. Jim Ferguson and James Allred became governors identified with progressivism and controversy.

D.  The New Deal of President Franklin Roosevelt divided the Texas Democrats into two groups.

1. Liberals controlled the Texas Democrat's political agenda during much of the 1930s. During this period, conservative Democrats formed a separate group called the "Texas Regulars," who opposed a third term for Franklin Roosevelt.  The separation was short-lived, with their return to the party by the late 1940s.

2. By the 1950s, the liberals were no longer in control; they formed a separate group called the Democrats of Texas. The Democrats of Texas were a splinter liberal group whose mission was to elect Ralph Yarborough, a liberal, to the U.S. Senate after which they returned to the Democrat Party.

3.  Since that time in the 1950s, the conservatives have been in overall control of Texas politics.  Prior to the 1960s, Texas was a solid Democratic state.

E.  In recent years, many Texas conservative Democrats have been switching to the Republican side, leaving the liberals with more influence in their party.

A.  The Republican Party had no base in Texas when it formed in 1854, as was the case in all Southern "slave" states. It was during Reconstruction that Republicans gained power, due, primarily, to the occupation of the Northern military. Unfortunately for the "GOP," this experience established a century of Democrat preference for Texans.

B.  Texans chose a Republican president in 1928 over the Democrat who was a Catholic, but did not break with them anywhere else on the ballot.

1.  It would be 1952 before Texans could bring themselves to do that again, but they did, and again in 1956, they supported Dwight Eisenhower largely because he was supported and endorsed by the governor.

2.  This was in part because he was a war hero but, also because he supported state's rights and the Democrats didn't. Those elections are viewed as the beginning of Republicanism in Texas.

C. John Tower, a university political science professor, became the first Texas Republican elected to the U.S. Senate in 1961.  His quest for the U.S. Senate came after he lost to LBJ in an earlier election but later won in a special election when LBJ was elected Vice-President. Although Senator Tower was an advocate for abortion rights, his election is commonly seen as the emergence of the modern Republican party.  Few other gains could be seen until the next elections when some Republicans won congressional seats but the party still was no major threat to the Democrat dominance, especially after the 1964 elections went so badly for Republicans nationwide. However, the growing anti liberal sentiment kept the Republicans hopeful.

D.  It would be the 1970s that clearly showed a change in Texas attitudes about parties.

1.  Texas went for Richard Nixon in 1972, and in 1976, Ronald Reagan galvanized Texas conservatives, drawing many away from their former party because it had become so liberal.

2. In 1978, Bill Clements became the first Republican governor since Reconstruction and E. J. Davis.The tide would continue to turn even though Clements would lose reelection to Democrat Mark White in 1982.  He came back back four years later for his second term.

E.  Republicans continued to "carry" Texas, led by Reagan and Texas' own George Bush, which helped elect Phil Gramm (a former Democrat) to the U.S. Senate.

1.  Republicans showed they could win the top of the ballot, but desperately needed victories on down.

2.  In 1988, Texas finally became a two-party state for the first time in its history.

F.  In 1990, the Republicans nominated Clayton Williams for governor.

1.  He began his campaign against Ann Richards with a 20 percentage point lead, but by political foolishness, he managed to grasp defeat from the jaws of victory.

2.  This debacle alarmed Republicans, but the outcome was favorable after all because Republican candidates for other offices did well, led by senatorial candidate Phil Gramm and treasurer Kay Bailey Hutchinson.

G.  Republicans now hold every state-wide office, hold both U.S. Senatorial seats, hold every seat on the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, control the legislature, have become the majority in most Texas counties, elected George W. Bush governor and later president.

A.  After Senator Tower's election in 1961 Republican growth was slow, emphasized by his difficult re-election race in 1966.

B.  In 1966, the GOP held only 3 of 150 seats in the Texas House.  In 1972, Tower was reelected thanks to President Nixon heading the ballot, and the Sharpstown Bank Scandal which hurt Democrats.  GOP seats in the Texas House grew to 17.

C.  In 1972, Tower was reelected and Texas chose a Republican Governor for the first time since Reconstruction.

D.  At the current time, Republicans hold every statewide office, and have control of both the Texas Senate and Texas House.

A   Two-Party State

1.  Texas became a two-party state in 1988 when George Bush, Sr. was elected, defeating Michael Dukakis, despite the fact that Dukakis' running mate was Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen.  Bentsen on the other hand successfully ran for reelection as U.S. Senator, taking advantage of the LBJ law.

2.  More significant were the down-ballot races that saw Republicans make big gains. Down-ballot races are those political races that are other than state-wide contests.

B.  Republican Gains

1. The most significant Republican gain in the Texas Senate came after three Republican-appointed federal judges ruled overturned the state's senate redistricting plan, finding that the Democratic-controlled Texas Senate had illegally gerrymandered its 1991 redistricting plan.

2. The 1994 election saw more significant gains for the GOP with the election of George W. Bush.  In 1994 when Bush was elected governor, most incumbents won with Republicans picking up seats in the Texas legislature.

A.  Political parties form for the purpose of winning elections.  A party is comprised of a group of people, sharing common goals, who attempt to gain control of government through winning elections.  In Texas, the major parties are the Republicans and the Democrats.  Third parties in Texas have seldom had a significant impact.

B.  Despite their policy differences, the major parties share the same internal structures.  Both elect state delegates through a series of precinct and county/district conventions.  Both parties establish state platforms.  And both parties select the permanent elements of their structure:  the party's state chair and state executive committee.

C.  Democrats dominated Texas politics completely from the end of Reconstruction until the early 1960s.  There were divisions within the party, but Democrats carried every office.  In the 1960s, things stated to change with the election of Republican U.S. Senator John Tower.  Republicans elected a governor in the 1970s, but true party equity didn't occur until the late 1980s.  By the late 1990s, Republicans dominated statewide races.  Democrats continued to hold the Texas House and a majority of the state county-level offices.

D.  The future of both major political parties will depend on which party is most successful at holding its various factions together and active in the political system.

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GOVT 2306   State and Local Government
Last updated: June 2010