Deck 4: Political Parties

Question 1

The hierarchical levels of American political parties is known as a

A) stratarchy.
B) monarchy.
C) corporate hierarchy.
D) level system.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Primary elections in Texas are usually held

A) in November of odd-numbered years.
B) in February of even-numbered years.
C) in March of even-numbered years.
D) in June of even-numbered years.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

A general election is held in

A) March of odd-numbered years.
B) November of even-numbered years.
C) November of odd-numbered years.
D) March of even-numbered years.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

According to the Texas Election Code, each political party in Texas must hold a ___________ in June of even-numbered years.

A) primary election
B) county convention
C) state convention
D) general election

Question 5

How many electoral voters will Texas have in the presidential election of 2016?

A) 181
B) 538
C) 38
D) 25

Question 6

Which of the following happens at the party state convention during presidential election years only?

A) Adoption of state party platform
B) Selection of potential presidential electors
C) Selection of members of the state executive committee
D) Certification to Secretary of State the names of party members nominated to run for office

Question 7

Party precinct chairs are selected by

A) precinct voters.
B) county chairs.
C) county convention delegates.
D) the District Executive Committee.

Question 8

Resolutions adopted at the precinct convention will be submitted first to the

A) national convention.
B) city-wide convention.
C) county or district convention.
D) state convention.

Question 9

Which of the following tasks is performed every two years at the state party convention?

A) Selection of delegates to the national convention
B) Conducting primary elections
C) Election of state legislators
D) Adoption of a party platform

Question 10

The number of electoral voters each state receives is equal to the

A) number of seats each state has in Congress.
B) number of seats each state has in its state legislature.
C) number of voters who voted in the previous general election.
D) number of delegates the state had at the national party convention.

Question 11

The lowest level of the temporary party organizations in Texas are the

A) state conventions.
B) county conventions.
C) district conventions.
D) precinct conventions.

Question 12

The party's county executive committee is

A) responsible for organizing the state party convention.
B) comprised of all of the precinct chairs.
C) selected at the state convention.
D) responsible for conducting the general election.

Question 13

Which of the following would be performed at a party's precinct convention?

A) Nomination of delegates to the county convention
B) Selection of the presidential nominee
C) Adoption of the party platform
D) Election of the state executive committee

Question 14

Highly populated areas of the state that hold district conventions include

A) Maverick, Kendall, and Bexar County.
B) Harris, Zapata, and Wilson counties.
C) Lavaca, Harris, and Travis counties.
D) Bexar, Harris, and Dallas counties.

Question 15

Precinct conventions in Texas are usually

A) heavily attended.
B) lightly or sparsely attended.
C) held at times other than after the polls close.
D) held in odd numbered years.

Question 16

The main business of county and district conventions is to

A) hold primary elections.
B) introduce candidates to party members.
C) select delegates to the state convention.
D) conduct general elections.

Question 17

In Texas, a candidate may only win an office in a general election if he/she receives

A) a majority of the vote.
B) two-thirds of the vote.
C) a plurality of the vote.
D) three-quarters of the vote.

Question 18

An organization that consists of individuals interested in controlling government by winning elections is referred to as a(n)

A) interest group.
B) political party.
C) political movement.
D) lobby.

Question 19

In Texas, the two leading political parties are the

A) Democratic and Republican.
B) Republican and Libertarian.
C) Republican and Green.
D) Democratic and Green.

Question 20

The American political party system consists of

A) national, county, city, and state levels.
B) national, state, county, and precinct levels.
C) county, state, local, and national levels.
D) national, precinct, county, and city levels.

Question 21

One of the possible reasons why Anglo voters opposed Governor E.J. Davis was that he

A) returned slaves and the vote to former members of the Confederacy.
B) appointed African Americans to office throughout the state.
C) supported Robert E. Lee and the Confederate slave owners.
D) allowed blacks to legally marry whites.

Question 22

Which Texas governor supported Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956?

A) Alan Shivers
B) Price Daniel
C) Coke Stevenson
D) Wilbur Lee O'Daniel

Question 23

As mandated by Texas state law, each party's state executive committee must

A) be comprised equally of men and women.
B) include members of the state legislature.
C) provide proportional representation for various demographic groups.
D) receive a majority vote of the primary election voters.

Question 24

After Reconstruction, which political party dominated in Texas for more than 100 years?

A) Whig
B) Democratic
C) Republican
D) Libertarian

Question 25

Who was the first Texas Republican elected in a statewide vote in the last half of the twentieth century?

A) John Tower
B) William Clements
C) Rick Perry
D) John Cornyn

Question 26

Liberals would most likely support which of the following policies?

A) Restricting the ability of a woman to obtain an abortion on demand
B) Prohibiting homosexuals from holding public employment
C) Equal pay for equal work laws regarding women
D) Reducing the progressivism of the national income tax

Question 27

The history of the Texas political party system has tended toward

A) strong voter support for third parties.
B) favoring independent movements.
C) Texas always having a strong two-party system.
D) Texas being a one-party state.

Question 28

During the period of Reconstruction that followed the Civil War (1865-1873), the __________ Party controlled Texas politics.

A) Democratic
B) Independent
C) Republican
D) Populist

Question 29

When Congress passed the Reconstruction Acts, former slave owners and supporters of the Confederacy were

A) purged as officeholders and denied the vote.
B) welcomed to the electoral process.
C) allowed to seek office and votes.
D) allowed to vote in all elections.

Question 30

Concerning the "left-right" political divide in Texas, which term would most likely describe a politician that is generally opposed to government-managed or government-subsidized programs?

A) Socialist
B) Conservative
C) Liberal
D) Fascist

Question 31

In Texas, a state party's chair is selected by the

A) state convention delegates.
B) party primary voters.
C) State Executive Committee.
D) majority vote of the county chairs.

Question 32

Between 1900 and 1950, the main political conflict in Texas was between

A) Democrats and Populists.
B) liberal and conservative Democrats.
C) Republicans and Democrats.
D) Republicans and Populists.

Question 33

Beginning in the late 1940s, a majority of conservative Democrats in Texas began to support the

A) state Republican party.
B) national Republican ticket.
C) state Socialist-Labor party.
D) national Libertarian ticket.

Question 34

Returns from the party primaries for statewide office are canvassed by the

A) county chairs meeting in Austin.
B) state party executive committee.
C) governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.
D) chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

Question 35

Which political party during the latter part of the nineteenth century focused on agrarian issues and posed a challenge to the Democratic party of Texas?

A) Whig
B) Populist
C) Republican
D) Green

Question 36

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Populist Party in Texas declined, largely due to

A) the Democratic Party adopting its issues.
B) the issues no longer being relevant to Texans.
C) Texas secession from the United States.
D) a merger with the Republican Party.

Question 37

Since the 1930s, the terms __________ have meant more to many Texas voters than the names of political parties.

A) carpetbagger and conservative
B) liberal and conservative
C) populist and independent
D) Tea Bagger and liberal

Question 38

Which political label would best describe a politician that is in favor of government regulation of the economy, but limited government involvement on social issues?

A) Libertarian
B) Socialist
C) Liberal
D) Conservative

Question 39

Which policy would a conservative most likely support?

A) Strengthening the rights of labor unions
B) Tighter governmental regulation of factory emissions
C) Protecting against racial and gender discrimination
D) Reduction or elimination of the graduated income tax

Question 40

Political alliances during the Republic of Texas were based on

A) personalities.
B) institutions.
C) organizations.
D) ideology.

Question 41

Which Texas governor, elected in 1994, was successful as the Republican Party's candidate for President in 2000?

A) George W. Bush
B) Ann Richards
C) John Tower
D) Rick Perry

Question 42

In the 2010 Texas gubernatorial race, Kay Bailey Hutchison was defeated most likely due to her

A) being a woman.
B) lack of political experience.
C) status as a Democrat.
D) being portrayed as a "Washington insider."

Question 43

The trend of voters abandoning their traditional political party allegiance is referred to as

A) dealignment.
B) realignment.
C) reshuffling.
D) coalition building.

Question 44

In the Texas general election of 2002, which trio was dubbed, "the dream team" because of their expected appeal to Latino, African American, and Anglo voters?

A) Richards, Bush, and Cruz
B) Sanchez, Kirk, and Sharp
C) Friedman, Strayhorn, and Perry
D) Hutchison, Perry, and Medina

Question 45

In the closest presidential election of modern times, Governor Bush defeated Democratic nominee Al Gore by __________in 2000.

A) massive media advertising
B) winning the popular vote
C) bribing the electoral college
D) four electoral votes (271 to 267)

Question 46

Which governor, elected in 1978, was the first Republican to hold that office since Reconstruction?

A) John Tower
B) William Clements
C) Rick Perry
D) John Cornyn

Question 47

In which of the following decades did the Republican Party in Texas begin to win almost all of the statewide offices it challenged?

A) 1950s
B) 1970s
C) 1990s
D) 2000s

Question 48

In 2008, one reason why Obama won in Harris, Travis, Bexar, and Dallas counties was because of

A) strong Republican support.
B) strong conservative Tea Party support.
C) solid support from independents and right-wing Republicans.
D) solid support from Latino and African American voters.

Question 49

In the Texas general election of 2000, which two parties had more candidates for statewide office than did the Democratic Party?

A) Green and Libertarian
B) Populist and Green
C) Socialist and Libertarian
D) Reform and Populist

Question 50

Which statement best describes the Libertarian Party?

A) It advocates the enforcement by the state of fundamentalist Christian family values.
B) It supports limited government and maximum individual liberties.
C) It is economically conservative but is liberal on social issues.
D) It has its strongest base of support in South Texas.

Question 51

Which one of the following geographic areas is a Democratic stronghold in Texas?

A) El Paso area
B) Permian Basin
C) Suburban Dallas-Fort Worth area
D) German Hill Country

Question 52

Changing demographic patterns in Harris and Dallas counties have

A) shown an increase in Democrats due to increases in minority populations.
B) maintained a balance between Democrats and Republicans.
C) shown an increase in Republican control due to white population increases.
D) None of the above is true.

Question 53

During the last 30 years, competition between Texas's Democratic and Republican parties has

A) prevented women from being elected.
B) brought more women, Latinos, and African Americans into the state's political system.
C) decreased the number of qualified women candidates.
D) had little effect on minority participation in politics.

Question 54

In which of the following ways have third parties been least successful?

A) Winning elections to national offices
B) Raising public awareness of issues
C) Persuading major parties to adopt their issues
D) Persuading major parties to bring them into their coalition

Question 55

The first Texas candidate to receive more than 4 million votes was

A) Miriam Amanda Ferguson.
B) Kay Bailey Hutchison.
C) Annie Webb Blanton.
D) Annette Strauss.

Question 56

In the 2002 general election, Republicans

A) won all statewide races.
B) lost control of the Court of Criminal Appeals.
C) lost only the Land Commissioner's office.
D) lost the support of Anglos.

Question 57

A political party that is not one of the two major parties is referred to as a

A) group of independents.
B) political faction.
C) third party.
D) political movement.

Question 58

Who was the first woman to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate?

A) "Ma" Ferguson
B) Barbara Jordan
C) Kay Bailey Hutchison
D) Ann Richards

Question 59

In __________, for the first time since the primary system was established in Texas, Republican primaries were conducted in all 254 Texas counties.

A) 1978
B) 1986
C) 1996
D) 2002

Question 60

Which geographic area of Texas is a Republican stronghold?

A) Beaumont-Port Arthur area
B) Lower income neighborhoods of large cities
C) Hispanic counties of South Texas
D) Texas Panhandle and Texas South Plains

Question 61

Describe the political party climate in Texas between Reconstruction and the 1940s. Which party was dominant? What were the third-party challenges to the dominant party, and how were these challenges dealt with by the major parties?

Question 62

Provide a thorough understanding of the role of the temporary party organization. Begin with the primary elections, and trace the events performed by the temporary part of the organizations in preparation for a general election.

Question 63

Describe the additional functions and events that must occur within political party organizations during presidential election years. Be sure to include both state and national party organizational operations. Understand the role state parties perform in selection of a presidential nominee, and the role parties play in selection of delegates to the Electoral College.

Question 64

The term independent applies to those candidates for office who

A) are the heads of state delegations.
B) are running for an open seat.
C) have no party affiliation.
D) already hold an elected office.

Question 65

What do the terms conservative and liberal mean in Texas politics? Explain the links between these terms and political parties in Texas. Which are you? Explain what you perceive to be the weaknesses in the particular political philosophy that you embrace.

Question 66

Discuss the impact of independent and third-party candidates upon Texas politics. Why do they keep recurring even though it seems like they are never successful? What are the most prominent third parties today?

Question 67

Describe the two-party system of politics within the state of Texas, with its prolonged periods of one-party domination. Trace the evolution of the two major parties within the state, including their history of involvement in Texas politics, their issues, and their relative political strength and successes.

Question 68

Describe the political party climate in Texas since the 1940s. Describe the process by which the Republican Party has replaced the Democratic Party as the more influential and powerful party within the state. Identify third-party challenges to the dominant party during this time.

Question 69

Describe the strengths of the Democratic and Republic parties by region in Texas. Provide an understanding of why each party has certain strengths in particular regions within the state. Based on these understandings, and with changing demographic patterns within the state, speculate as to the future potential of each party within the state of Texas.

Question 70

Of the third-parties listed below, which probably has had the least influence on Texas politics?

A) Green
B) Populist
C) Libertarian
D) Socialist Labor

Question 71

Political parties are not provided for by the national or state constitutions, and yet they play a critical role in how we elect officeholders. Define the concept of a political party, and explain the basic functions performed by political parties.

Question 72

Which statement best describes the Green Party?

A) It is a twenty-first century throwback to the Greenbacks of the nineteenth century.
B) It advocates returning to the gold standard as a backing for American currency.
C) It advocates environmental protection and government reform policies.
D) It advocates reduced governmental regulation of corporations and political campaigns.

Question 73

Trace the temporary and permanent party organizational structures in Texas. As an ordinary citizen wanting to become active in party politics, where would you start, and how would you proceed?

Question 74

Candidates who run for office with no party affiliation are referred to as

A) partisan seekers.
B) independents.
C) green.
D) reformers.