base
group of voters who almost always support a particular party's candidates
caucus
meeting in which party members choose candidates to run for office
Democratic Party
one of the two major political parties in the United States, typically more liberal in political ideology
Green Party
minor U.S. political party that promotes environmentalism and social justice
independent
voter who chooses not to align with any political party
leaner
nonaligned voter who tends to favor the programs and candidates of a particular political party but does not firmly identify with that party
Libertarian Party
minor U.S. political party that favors limited government and individual rights
nominating convention
meeting at which specially chosen party members gather to choose candidates for their party
party activist
person who works to advance a political party's interests
party identification
individual's loyalty to a particular political party
party platform
formal set of goals endorsed by a political party
polarization
extreme differences in positions between the two major political parties
political party
organized group or association that seeks to attract members, field like-minded candidates, and direct government policymaking
primary election
election in which voters select the candidates who will run in the general election
Progressive era
period between the 1890s and 1920s characterized by widespread social activism and zeal for political reform
Republican Party
one of the two major political parties in the United States, typically more conservative in political ideology
third party
political party that competes with the two major parties in a two-party system