State Parties, Campaigns and Interest Groups
I. Remaining State Party Functions
A. Develop and Clarify Policy Stance
1. California Republican Party Platform
2. Colorado Democratic Party Platform
B. Recruit Candidates for Office
C. Get-Out-The-Vote Efforts
D. Generate Money for Candidates
E. Organize Legislatures
II. Weakened but Not Dead - Causes of Party Decline
A. Rise of Primary Elections (Types)
1. Open
2. Closed
3. Blanket
4. Runoff
B. Decline in Party Identification
C. Increasing Role of Mass Media
D. Declining Patronage
E. Rise of PAC's and Single Issue Groups
F. Candidate Based Campaigns
G. Government Agencies & Programs
1. Welfare, Unemployment Compensation, Food Stamps
III. Party Organization
A. Overview
IV. Party Competition in States
A. Rise of Republicanism in South
B. Growing Democratic Strength in Coastal States
C. Divided Government
D. Consequences for Policy
V. State Political Campaigns
B. Soft Money in State Politics - State Political Contributions
C. Personality over Policy
VI. Money in State Politics - Conditions Increasing Significance
A. Contested Primaries
B. Early Money
C. Large Geographic Area
D. Weak Parties
E. Open Seat
VII. Interest Groups (Overview)
A. Types
3. Labor Unions
4. Corporations
5. Farm Unions
1. Ideological
2. Public Interest
a. Environment
b. Consumer
3. Religious
4. Social
5. Scientific
6. Cultural
7. Gender
8. Racial
B. Techniques
C. Power
D. Activities - Health Insurance Association of America
1. Watching Legislative Actions
2. Lobbying
3. Testifying at Committee Hearings
4. Schmoozing
5. Grass-Roots Lobbying
Key Web Sites
State Political Party Contact Information