Party Activists, Ideological Extremism, and Party Polarization

Abstract

This chapter presents evidence for several conclusions about political activists. The process of greater partisan and ideological division, and the bitter debate and gridlock that have accompanied it, is called political polarization. On one side, Tea Party activists demanded that Republican leaders slash federal spending to the bone. On the other side, liberal activists denounced any spending cuts agreed to by Democratic leaders, claiming that they had sold out to the Republicans. Most researchers define "activists", at least for the purposes of their research, as comprising one of two types of groups: delegates to the two parties' presidential conventions, and respondents to national surveys who report that they have been politically active, especially beyond voting. The chapter concludes that activists' role in the current political polarization could result from the resources they have to offer prospective candidates, from their contact with candidates and/or from their central role in nominating candidates.