Chapter Nineteen: Political Parties in Texas 1. Questions to Consider Why was Texas politics...

Chapter Nineteen:

Political Parties in Texas

1

Questions to Consider

Why was Texas politics dominated by the Democratic Party until the early 1990s?

Why have a majority of Texans come to identify with the Republican Party?

What developments could lead to a resurgence of support for the Texas Democratic Party?

2

Chapter Contents

How Political Parties OperateDevelopment of the Texas Party

SystemHow the Party Machinery Is Organized

in TexasA New Era of Republican Dominance

3

Learning Objectives

Describe the functions and characteristics of American political parties.

Explain the factors which contributed to Democratic Party dominance in Texas and identify the factions which operated within this system.

Describe the structure of the party organization from the local to the national level. Explain the relative independence of state party organizations.

Explain the recent success of the Republican Party in Texas.

Explain the current status of the Democratic Party in Texas.

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What If…Texas Nominated Its Candidates by Convention

Nomination by convention would allow the parties more control over who gets nominated.Could select stronger candidatesCandidates closer to the party’s platform

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What If…Texas Nominated Its Candidates by Convention (Cont’d)

Could increase accountability in government

Would eliminate costly primariesVoters would have little voice in

choosing candidates.

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For Critical Analysis

1. Other than GOP dominance, what other factors would make it difficult for Texas to adopt a convention system of nominating candidates?

2. Describe the major issue positions of Democrats or Republicans in Texas. How would a convention system of nominating candidates make it easier for the state party to enact its positions into law?

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How Political Parties Operate

What Is a Political Party?A broad-based coalition

Primary purpose of winning electionsProvide a link between the people and

government Facilitate participation in political system Organize support for candidates Unify and mobilize groups and interests

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How Political Parties Operate (Cont’d)

Functions of parties:Nominate and elect their members to public

officeEducate the publicProvide voters with cues on how to voteMobilize voters by encouraging participation

in the electoral processRun the government

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Characteristics of American Political Parties

PragmatismWilling to compromise to appeal votersTry to appeal to a large number of interests

DecentralizationPrecinct, local, state, and national levelsVarious levels are semi-independent actors.Power has shifted to the national parties.

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Decentralization

Figure 22-1 The Decentralized Nature of American Political Parties and the Strengthening of the National Party’s Service Function

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The Two-Party System

Third parties have difficulty winning elections.

In Texas, it is difficult for third parties to get on the ballot.

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Politics with a Purpose: Crystal City High School and the Creation of the Raza Unida Party

Mexican-American population of Crystal City, Texas, had long been denied political power.

In 1963, the Hispanic population organized and won control of the city council.

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Politics with a Purpose: Crystal City High School and the Creation of the Raza Unida Party (Cont’d)

Hispanic students at Crystal City High School protested unequal treatment.

Protests led to the election of Hispanics to the school board.

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La Raza Unida Party was created in 1970.Spread to other states

Had its greatest success at the local level

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Mobilized Mexican-American voters, especially young people

Twice nominated Ramsey Muñiz as candidate for governor

Many of its concerns became part of the Democratic Party platform.

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Development of the Texas Party System

The One-Party Tradition in TexasFrom Reconstruction until the 1990s, the

Democratic Party dominated Texas politics.Democratic primary became the substitute

for the two-party contest.The Great Depression solidified Democratic

dominance.

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Ideological Basis of Factionalism: Conservatives and Liberals

ConservativesSupport free market and traditional valuesSupport government promotion of businessOppose social welfare programsFavor stiffer penalties for criminals

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Ideological Basis of Factionalism: Conservatives and Liberals (Cont’d)

LiberalsSupport government regulation of economySupport social-welfare programsSupport protection of civil rights and liberties

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Conservative and Liberal Factions in the Democratic Party

For many years, factions within the Texas Democratic Party resembled a two-party system.

Conservative Democrats were more successful than liberals.

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Conservative and Liberal Factions in the Democratic Party (Cont’d)

Texas conservatives traditionally voted Democratic in state and local races.Voted for Republican presidential candidates

Conservative Democrats dominated the governorship, the legislature and Texas’s representatives in Congress.

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The Success of the Conservative Democrats

Reasons for the success of the conservative faction:Represent powerful industriesPublish most of the state’s daily newspapersContribute money to campaignsMore likely to vote in Democratic primaries

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The Impact of Governor Shivers

Shivers helped establish the dominance of the conservative faction of the Democratic Party.

Shivercrats supported Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 election.

Most Democratic candidates for state office that year were also nominated by Republican Party.

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The Impact of Governor Shivers (Cont’d)24

Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrats in Texas consist of groups that have supported the Democratic Party nationally. Organized labor African Americans Mexican Americans Teachers and intellectuals

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Liberal Democrats (Cont’d)

Liberal Democrats in Texas consist of groups that have supported the Democratic Party nationally (Cont’d) Small farmers and ranchers Environmental groups Abortion-rights groups Trial lawyers

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Liberal Democrats (Cont’d)

Historically, Texas Liberalism was most successful from 1890s through 1930s.

Defection of conservatives to Republican Party has allowed liberal Democrats to capture party’s nominations.

This defection has made Republican Party dominant in the state.

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The Rise of the Republican Party

Republican Party in Texas was traditionally seen as the party of Reconstruction.

In the 1950s, conservative Democrats began to support Republican presidential candidates.

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The Rise of the Republican Party (Cont’d)

In 1961, Republican John Tower was elected to replace Lyndon Johnson in the U.S. Senate.

In 1978, Republican Bill Clements was elected governor.

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The Republicans Become Dominant

In 1998, Republicans won every statewide office.

They captured a majority in the Texas Senate in 1996Won majority in Texas House in 2002

In 2004, they captured a majority in Texas’s congressional delegation.

Competitive in local elections

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The Republican Become Dominant (Cont’d)

Table 22–1 Changes in the Number of Republican and Democratic Officeholders in Texas

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Sources of Republican Strengths and Weaknesses

The Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Midland-Odessa areas

The Northern PanhandleEast Texas oil field counties of Smith,

Rusak and GreggThe Hill Country-Edwards Plateau area

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Sources of Republican Strengths and Weaknesses (Cont’d)

Large urban cities: Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, Austin

South and South Central TexasFar West TexasFar pockets of East Texas

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Figure 22–2 Presidential Candidates with Most Votes

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Sources of Republican Strength:Middle- and upper-class individuals and

rural, high-income ranchersWhite Anglo-Saxon Protestants and German

AmericansActive and retired military officersTraditional conservatives

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Conservative and Moderate Factions Within the Republican Party

Conservative Christians dominate the Texas Republican Party.Control much of the party machinery

Moderate Republicans represent business interests.Want low taxesWant to limit government role in business

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Republicans and Minorities

The party has failed to generate much support among the minority voters.

Mexican Americans have traditionally identified with the Democratic Party.Substantial number of Hispanic voters are

swing voters.

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An Example of a Third Party: The Libertarian Party

Active force in Texas politicsCombines the conservative emphasis

on free markets with the liberal skepticism toward legislating morality

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An Example of a Third Party: The Libertarian Party (Cont’d)

Faces the same hurdles as other third partiesPoor financingLack of media coverageGaining ballot access

Have won more than 300 local and state offices throughout the country

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How the Party Machinery Is Organized in Texas

Temporary Party OrganizationPermanent Party Organization

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How the Party Machinery Is Organized in Texas (Cont’d)

Figure 22–3 Texas Political Party Organization

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Temporary Party Organization

Precinct ConventionAdopts resolutions to be passed onto

the county or state senatorial district convention

Selects delegates to the county or senatorial district convention

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Temporary Party Organization (Cont’d)

Precinct Convention (Cont’d)Open to all who vote in the primary

electionAttendance is very low.Small minority can control of convention.

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County and Senatorial District ConventionsVotes on adoption of resolutions to be

considered at the state conventionSelects delegates and alternates to attend

state conventionMay be dominated by liberal or conservative

factions

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State ConventionHeld in June of even-numbered yearsElects state party officers and state

executive committeeAdopts a party platformCertifies the candidates nominated by the

party in its primary

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State Convention (Cont’d)In presidential election years, the state

convention also Elects representatives to national committee Selects 34 candidates to the electoral college Elects some delegates to national convention

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Permanent Party Organization

Precinct ChairParty organizer in the precinctPresides over precinct conventionMember of the county executive committee

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Permanent Party Organization (Cont’d)

County ChairPresides over county executive committeeOrganizes party primariesMust certify the names of official nominees

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County Executive CommitteeAssembles delegates to the county

conventionCanvasses returns from the primary for local

officesHelps the county chair prepare the primary

ballot

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State ChairPresides over meetings of state executive

committeeCalls state convention to orderHandles requests of statewide candidates

on the ballotCertifies runoff primary election winners

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State Executive Committee64 membersLed by a chair and a vice chairDetermines site of the next state conventionCanvasses statewide primary returnsCertifies the nomination of party candidates

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A New Era of Republican Dominance

Republicans hold 99 of the 150 seats in the Texas House

19 of the 31 seats in the Texas SenateTexas has swung from Democratic

Party dominance to Republican Party dominance

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Emergence of Republican Party Dominance

Conservative middle- and upper-class white Democrats gradually switched allegiance to the Republican Party.

Many alienated by the Democratic Party’s emphasis on civil rights.

Ronald Reagan attracted conservative Democrats to the Republican Party.

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Emergence of Republican Party Dominance (Cont’d)

A majority of recent migrants to Texas from other states have been Republicans or independents.

The rise of an affluent middle class has created a new environment for many Texans.

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Emergence of Republican Party Dominance (Cont’d)

Sources: Statewide polls in 1952 and 1972 conducted by Belden Associates of Dallas and archived at the Roper Center. Data for 1990 from the Texas poll, Texas A&M University Policy Resources Laboratory, Harte-Hanks Communications. Data for 2008 from University of Texas, Austin, Texas Politics Poll

Table 22–2 Democratic and Republican Party Identifiers

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Can the Democrats Still Be Competitive?

Democrats are still strongly represented in local offices.

In recent elections, they have gained seats in the Texas House of Representatives.

Growing minority populations tend to support the Democratic Party.

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Dealignment

A growing number of voters in Texas engage in ticket splitting.

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You Can Make a Difference:Grassroots Politics at the Precinct Level

Many politicians got started at the precinct level.

Activity might include: registering voters, attending the precinct convention and getting voters to the polls.

Local involvement can influence leadership and activities of the party.

58

What Can You Do?

Attend precinct conventionHeld after polls close on primary dayPass resolutionsDelegates to next level conventions selected

Sparse attendance allows individuals to be heard.

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Chapter Nineteen: Political Parties in Texas 1. Questions to Consider Why was Texas politics...

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