Exam 2 Review

Exam on Wednesday, October 14th

Chapter 8, section on Voting Patterns
Chapter 9
Issue Positions in Party Platforms Party Platform handout posted in Weeks 5&6
Video: Red, White, and Blue episode on implications of 2014 elections for the
parties future
Chapter 1, section on demographic changes
Partisanship:
Definition of partisanship
What question do we ask to determine someones partisan affiliation? Generally
speaking.
What is the relationship between ideology and partisanship?
-Democrats nationally compared to Democrats in Texas
-Republicans nationally compared to Republicans in Texas

Explain these patterns.

Types of Democrats in Texas

Conservative Democrats what do they believe?
Liberal Democrats what do they believe?
-How do Conservative Democrats differ from Liberal Democrats? Identify
policies on which they differ.
Which groups are associated with the Democratic Party? Why do these groups support
the Democratic Party?
Geographically where do you find concentrations of Democrats in the state?
Types of Republicans in Texas
Economic Conservatives - what do they believe?
True Believers - what do they believe?
Tea Party - what do they believe?
Moderate Republicans - what do they believe?
-How do the 4 types of Republicans differ from each other? Identify policies on
which they differ.
What groups do you find in the Republican Party? Why do these groups support the
Democratic Party?
Geographically where do you find Republicans in the state?

Democratic Party of Texas and Republican Party of Texas platforms - positions on the
following issues:
1. minimum wage
2. education spending
3. abortion
4. same sex marriage
5. illegal immigration
Party Systems in Texas
Describe Texas party system.
How competitive are parties in Texas? Explain.
Explain the history of Texas parties and before the 1970s and after the 1980s.
Define realignment and explain what happens to the majority and minority parties in a
realignment. When did Texas experience a realignment?
How do realignments occur? Explain the two mechanisms of realignment discussed in
class - conversion and mobilization. Define these terms and give examples of each.
Be able to explain the causes of Texas realignment. How did the Republican Party
become the majority party in Texas after the 1980s after being the minority party from the
1870s to 1970s?
Conversion:
Who converted to the Republican Party? Be specific about which the
characteristics of the people converting (race/ethnicity, ideology, religious values, social
values, etc.) Why did they convert?
Describe the social changes of the 1960s-1980s that contributed to some Texans
converting.
Describe the political changes of the 1960s-1980s that contributed to some Texans
converting.
Why was the Democratic Party no longer acceptable to the Texans who
converted?
Who did not convert to the Republican Party? Why?
Mobilization:
Which two groups were mobilized into the electorate during the 1970s and 1980s
in the Texas? Be specific about the characteristics of the people mobilized (race or
ethnicity, ideology, religious values, social values, etc.)

Why did these groups identify with and vote with the Republican Party? Identify
the issues that they cared about and how that influenced their support for the Republican
Party.
Future of Texas Parties:
Describe the demographic changes occurring in Texas: race/ethnicity, birthrates,
age, urbanization, secularization, income inequality, migration, etc.
How could these changes affect the electorate? Which party stands to gain
voters? Lose voters? Explain.
What could the Democratic Party do to increase the number of Democrats in
Texas? Think about who they could convert and mobilize. What groups should they try
to appeal to? What issues or messages should they emphasize? Are they at risk to lose
any of their existing supporters? How do they keep them?
What could the Republican Party do to remain the majority party in Texas?
Which groups within their party are likely to get smaller over the next 20 years? What
groups should they appeal to if they want to keep their numbers up? What issues or
messages should they emphasize to win over these groups?
Scroll down to the next page for a chart to help answer questions about Future of
Texas Parties

This chart might help you formulate your answer to the questions about how the two
parties build their parties supports given the demographic changes occurring in Texas.
Democrats

Republicans

Democrats

Republicans

Demographic
Characteristics
Race/Ethnicity
Age
Urban/Suburban/Rural?
Religious/Secular
Income: higher/lower

Demographic Changes
Expected in Next 20 Years
Mark whether this change
will increase or
decrease number of
Dems/Reps
White population declines
Hispanic population
increases
Population is younger
Urbanization increases
Secularization increases
Migration from California
Income Inequality
increases

Decreases
increases

Issue Positions from

Platforms and Survey

Democrats

Republicans

Minimum wage
Education spending
Abortion
Same Sex Marriage
Illegal Immigration
Business Regulation
Social Benefits for Needy
Legalization of Marijuana
Environmental Protection
Abortion
Same Sex Marriage
Immigration

Age

Who Votes?

Lower Turnout
Younger

Older

Higher Turnout

Income

Lower

Higher

Education

Lower

Higher

Race/Ethnicity

Hispanics
American Indian
Asian
Pacific Islanders

African-Americans
Whites