Marjorie Randon

The seventeenth edition of Party Politics in America continues the comprehensive and authoritative coverage of political parties for which it is known while expanding and updating the treatment of key related topics including interest groups and elections. Building upon the work of Frank Sorauf and Paul Allen Beck, Marjorie Hershey maintains the book’s three-pronged coverage of party organization, party in the electorate, and party in government while introducing contemporary examples—such as campaign finance reform, party polarization, and social media--to bring to life the fascinating story of how parties shape our political system.

• Fully updated through the 2016 election, including changes in virtually all of the boxed materials, the chapter openings, and the data presented.

• Critically examines the idea that Super PACs are replacing, or can replace, the party organizations in running campaigns. That argument has some elements of truth and many more elements of inaccuracy.