State Political Parties in United States

Local and State Political Parties

Joel W. Paddock, in the chapter “Local and State Political Parties” of the Oxford Handbook of State and Local Government, offers some insight and critically assesses the situation and current state of scholarship on the topic. The following is a summary:This chapter analyzes the current state of political science literature on state and local parties. Three broad themes are examined (1) the adaptation of state and local parties to the more candidate-centered politics of the telecommunications age and the subsequent importance of campaign finance; (2) ideological polarization in the party system; and (3) regionalism in American politics. The author highlights directions for future research.

Further Reading

• “Local and State Political Parties”, The Oxford Handbook of American Politics