Ch08 Political Parties Candidates and Campaigns Defining the Voters Choice.docx

Political Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns:
Defining the Voters’ Choice
Multiple Choice
1. Political parties serve
a. to link the public with its elected leaders.
b. to transform conflict into political choices for voters.
c. as a basis for organizing interests into ongoing political coalitions.
d. to provide potential leaders an opportunity to attain public office.
e. All of the answers are correct.
Answer: e
2. The first American political parties emerged from the conflict between 3. Andrew Jackson’s contribution to the development of political parties was the 4. Democrats and Republicans have endured as the two major U.S. parties primarily due to 5. The only minor-party or independent candidate in the twentieth century to win more
votes than a major-party candidate in a presidential election was
a. Strom Thurmond (Dixiecrat, 1948).
b. George Wallace (American Independent, 1968).
c. Theodore Roosevelt (Bull Moose, 1912).
d. Ross Perot (Independent, 1992).
e. John B. Anderson (National Unity, 1980).
Answer: c
6. If a minor party gains a large following, it is almost certain that

c. party in-fighting will tear it apart.
d. the major parties will try to capture its supporters.
e. the media will attack the minor party.
Answer: d
7. The major reason for the persistence of the American two-party system is
8. Proportional representation systems encourage the formation of smaller parties by
enabling parties to