Minor Parties, Major Changes: Shaping State Party Platforms in American Politics

• In Event: US Parties at the State and Local Level

Abstract

How does the emergence of new political competition alter established party position-taking? In this paper, I analyze how state Democratic and Republican Parties adjust their agendas in response to creating new political parties within a state. By analyzing state party platforms using text as data, I show that the emergence of new political parties prompts modifications to major party platforms. Ideologically similar major parties increase their emphasis and discussion of issues important to the newly created third party. This paper demonstrates the role minor parties have in setting agendas for major parties; it further highlights the continued role issue co-optation has in the maintenance of the two-party system observed in American politics.

Author

• Cassidy Reller, University of Florida