How are critical elections and party realignments interrelated?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Critical elections often result in a party realignment, as the electorate and political parties adjust to new issues and voter coalitions. In other words, a critical election can trigger a party realignment as the losing party may need to reevaluate its platform and ideology to remain competitive in future elections. Therefore, a party realignment typically occurs after a critical election.

How Are Critical Elections and Party Realignments Interrelated