Party Politics in America

Marjorie Randon Hershey is Professor of Political Science Emerita at Indiana University, USA.Barry C. Burden is Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.

Praise for the Nineteenth Edition“Hershey’s text is one of the clearest, most accessible texts for undergraduates learning about the role of parties in the United States. Because of its long publication history, it has been able to not only update as the party systems grow and adapt to new stimuli, but also can provide a reflective look back at party development and advances in theories concerning party government… [This book] is one of the best at keeping students engaged with information that is relevant to understanding the party system in the United States.”—Michael Romano, Shenandoah University"This book is the best guide you can have for understanding democratic politics in America and it has been the best guide for quite a long time…Each edition adds new life to the text by considering the politics of the time. This edition is not an exception."—John H. Aldrich, Duke University, from the ForewordPraise for Previous Editions"A political parties textbook needs to cover a tremendous amount of ground—from party organizations to nomination contests to partisan attitudes in the electorate and beyond. Marjorie Randon Hershey’s Party Politics in America does it all superbly. Combing fresh insights, the latest scholarship, and current politics in a highly engaging text, this new edition is indispensable for classes."—Bruce Larson, Gettysburg College"In the midst of unprecedented events and personalities in American politics, one thing remains unchanged: Party Politics in America is an unparalleled resource for understanding the central role of political parties in American democracy. With clear, accessible language and organization, Marjorie Randon Hershey covers every aspect of American party politics in a way that enables readers to make sense of and identify patterns in what appears to be a messy, even irrational, system."—Christina Wolbrecht, University of Notre Dame"Hershey gives a remarkable update to her classic book on political parties. The new additions are timely and represent the current trends in this evolving field. This book continues to be the standard for teaching about American political parties."—Beth Ginsberg, University of Connecticut—Stamford"This new edition of Party Politics in America continues its tradition of combining the most comprehensive coverage of scholarly research with an up-to-date treatment of the rapidly-changing party and electoral landscape. Between its readability and stellar integration of scholarship and current politics, this book will appeal to students and instructors alike. I look forward to using it in my course, and to learning from it in my own research."—Paul A. Beck, The Ohio State University"This text continues to be the gold standard for courses on American political parties. In clearly written and engaging prose, these chapters reflect enduring wisdom alongside newly developed analytical insights from the best scholars. Marjorie Randon Hershey also does a wonderful job of contextualizing parties in the American political climate, documenting the challenges they face, and pointing out the myriad ways parties structure and influence behavior and policy."—Kyle Saunders, Colorado State University

• List of Figures List of Tables List of Boxes Foreword by John H. AldrichPART I PARTIES AND PARTY SYSTEMS1. What Are Political Parties?2. The American Two-Party SystemPART II THE POLITICAL PARTY AS AN ORGANIZATION3. The State and Local Party Organizations4. The Parties' National Organizations5. Party ActivistsPART III THE POLITICAL PARTY IN THE ELECTORATE6. Party Identification7. Party Coalitions and Polarization8. Parties and Voter TurnoutPART IV PARTIES, NOMINATIONS, AND ELECTIONS9. How Parties Choose Candidates10. Choosing the Presidential Nominees11. The General Election12. Financing the CampaignsPART V THE PARTY IN GOVERNMENT13. Parties in Congress and State Legislatures14. The Party in the Executive and the Courts15. The Semi-Responsible Parties16. The Place of Parties in American Politics