Party Politics in America

by Marjorie Randon Hershey, Barry C. Burden

Overview

Long regarded as the “gold standard” of political parties texts, this new, nineteenth edition of Party Politics in America brings its comprehensive and authoritative coverage of party politics into an age of heightened partisan conflict; threats to the acceptance of democratic institutions; changes in the balance of power among the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court, and judicial rulings that upend long-established precedents. Marjorie Hershey and Barry Burden build on the book’s three-pronged coverage of party organization, party in the electorate, and party in government and incorporate important developments in racial politics, social media use, and battles over access to the vote. The book uses contemporary examples to bring to life the fascinating story of how parties shape our political system.

New to the nineteenth edition:

• Fully updated through the 2022 and 2024 elections, including changes in virtually all the empirical data, boxed materials, and examples throughout the book
• Discusses the transformation of the Republican Party into the Party of Trump, with attendant changes in the parties’ coalitions and electoral prospects
• Examines the relevance of party politics and elections to college-age and other young voters in times of intense and off-putting polarization
• Considers the implications of recent changes in both parties to the likelihood that democracy will survive in the US
• Provides online Instructor’s Resources, including author-written test banks, essay questions, relevant websites with correlated sample assignments, and links to a collection of course syllabi

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781040343777
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/30/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	448
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Marjorie Randon Hershey is Professor of Political Science Emerita at Indiana University, USA

Table of Contents

List of Figures 

 List of Tables 

List of Boxes 

Foreword by John H. Aldrich

PART I PARTIES AND PARTY SYSTEMS

1. What Are Political Parties?

2. The American Two-Party System

PART II THE POLITICAL PARTY AS AN ORGANIZATION

3. The State and Local Party Organizations

4. The Parties' National Organizations

5. Party Activists

PART III THE POLITICAL PARTY IN THE ELECTORATE

6. Party Identification

7. Party Coalitions and Polarization

8. Parties and Voter Turnout

PART IV PARTIES, NOMINATIONS, AND ELECTIONS

9. How Parties Choose Candidates

10. Choosing the Presidential Nominees

11. The General Election

12. Financing the Campaigns

PART V THE PARTY IN GOVERNMENT

13. Parties in Congress and State Legislatures

14. The Party in the Executive and the Courts

15. The Semi-Responsible Parties

16. The Place of Parties in American Politics

Editorial Reviews

Praise for the 18th Edition

"Hershey gives a remarkable update to her classic book on political parties. The new additions are timely and represent the current trends in this evolving field. This book continues to be the standard for teaching about American political parties."

—-Beth Ginsberg, University of Connecticut—Stamford

A political parties textbook needs to cover a tremendous amount of ground—from party organizations to nomination contests to partisan attitudes in the electorate and beyond. Marjorie Randon Hershey’s Party Politics in America does it all superbly. Combing fresh insights, the latest scholarship, and current politics in a highly engaging text, this new edition is indispensable for classes

—Bruce Larson, Gettysburg College

Praise for the 17th Edition

Why should you use this book to guide you in the search for understanding democratic politics in America? The short answer is that this book is the best guide you can have.

John H. Aldrich, Duke University, from the Foreword

This new edition of Party Politics in America continues its tradition of combining the most comprehensive coverage of scholarly research with an up-to-date treatment of the rapidly-changing party and electoral landscape. The 2016 election cycle has produced more drama and change for American parties than any in decades, and Marjorie Randon Hershey chronicles it especially well. Between its readability and stellar integration of scholarship and current politics, this book will appeal to students and instructors alike. I look forward to using it in my course, and to learning from it in my own research.

Paul A. Beck, The Ohio State University

In the midst of unprecedented events and personalities in American politics, one thing remains unchanged: Party Politics in America is an unparalleled resource for understanding the central role of political parties in American democracy. With clear, accessible language and organization, Marjorie Randon Hershey covers every aspect of American party politics in a way that enables readers to make sense of and identify patterns in what appears to be a messy, even irrational, system.

Christina Wolbrecht, University of Notre Dame

This text continues to be the gold standard for courses on American political parties. In clearly written and engaging prose, these chapters reflect enduring wisdom alongside newly developed analytical insights from the best scholars. Marjorie Randon Hershey also does a wonderful job of contextualizing parties in the American political climate, documenting the challenges they face, and pointing out the myriad ways parties structure and influence behavior and policy.

Kyle Saunders, Colorado State University

Praise for the 18th Edition

"Hershey gives a remarkable update to her classic book on political parties. The new additions are timely and represent the current trends in this evolving field. This book continues to be the standard for teaching about American political parties."

—-Beth Ginsberg, University of Connecticut—Stamford

"A political parties textbook needs to cover a tremendous amount of ground—from party organizations to nomination contests to partisan attitudes in the electorate and beyond. Marjorie Randon Hershey’s Party Politics in America does it all superbly. Combing fresh insights, the latest scholarship, and current politics in a highly engaging text, this new edition is indispensable for classes."

—Bruce Larson, Gettysburg College

Praise for the 17th Edition

"Why should you use this book to guide you in the search for understanding democratic politics in America? The short answer is that this book is the best guide you can have."

John H. Aldrich, Duke University, from the Foreword

"This new edition of Party Politics in America continues its tradition of combining the most comprehensive coverage of scholarly research with an up-to-date treatment of the rapidly-changing party and electoral landscape. The 2016 election cycle has produced more drama and change for American parties than any in decades, and Marjorie Randon Hershey chronicles it especially well. Between its readability and stellar integration of scholarship and current politics, this book will appeal to students and instructors alike. I look forward to using it in my course, and to learning from it in my own research."

Paul A. Beck, The Ohio State University

"In the midst of unprecedented events and personalities in American politics, one thing remains unchanged: Party Politics in America is an unparalleled resource for understanding the central role of political parties in American democracy. With clear, accessible language and organization, Marjorie Randon Hershey covers every aspect of American party politics in a way that enables readers to make sense of and identify patterns in what appears to be a messy, even irrational, system."

Christina Wolbrecht, University of Notre Dame

"This text continues to be the gold standard for courses on American political parties. In clearly written and engaging prose, these chapters reflect enduring wisdom alongside newly developed analytical insights from the best scholars. Marjorie Randon Hershey also does a wonderful job of contextualizing parties in the American political climate, documenting the challenges they face, and pointing out the myriad ways parties structure and influence behavior and policy."

Kyle Saunders, Colorado State University

From the Publisher