The ideas and implications of political parties in today’s society have been greatly debated, some saying that they have gradually declined with time, and others arguing that their presence has greatly strengthened throughout the years. In observing the first congressional district of Colorado, it has been evident that political parties are becoming stronger as time goes on. Through the examination of demographics, the effect of partisanship, and political manipulation, it is evident that with time that parties are becoming stronger and even more divided. The first congressional district of Colorado was recently swept by Diana DeGette. DeGette is an incumbent of this district since 1996, and in this past election, won 68.3% of the votes
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When people have a set of views and can find those views being represented within a certain political party, it is easy for them to pledge their allegiance to that party and begin supporting it. This is shown through African-American voters heavily voting democratically. This began with John F. Kennedy and his Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing public discrimination of minorities ("Black Party Affiliation" 1) . Since then, the amount of African-American’s voting democratically in Presidential Elections has been astronomical, with 93% of the Black vote being democratic for Barack Obama in 2012 (Smith 1). Since the democrats fought for African-American rights, they pledged their vote because of the representation they were receiving. This can also be seen when “interest groups and large donors contribute to the candidate who holds issue positions they approve of” (Rae 410). Both these groups want representation in government, and so this grows the party’s allegiance and support. If these groups feel represented, they will continue to endorse and vote for their specific party, which shows that the parties have grown stronger because they are representing the specific values of the …show more content…
People search for the parties that fit their needs and desires as an American citizen, and the party benefits from the support. The parties “enjoy a stronger and more committed mass base of support” (Rae 411). With the increasing presence of parties, they can all ban together to receive representation in government. As the party grows, the amount of voters and people willing to help the cause increase as well, showing that they are beneficial for everyone within the organization. Years of this back and forth representation has developed America’s strong presence of political parties that take up all levels of government. This is shown by Diana DeGette’s sweep of the election, because her party is behind her and votes in her favor. The strength of her party is proven by her consistent re-election, and the growth at which she has received votes furthers the argument. When DeGette first ran in 1996, she received 56.9% of votes (Colorado's 1st Congressional District Elections, 2014 1). It is estimated that in the 2016 election, she received 68.3% of votes, which confirms the argument that political parties have grown just over the past 20 years (Colorado's 1st Congressional District Election 2016 1). This party has grown because the constituent believes they are being well represented, which insures DeGette’s
When people have a set of views and can find those views being represented within a certain political party, it is easy for them to pledge their allegiance to that party and begin supporting it. This is shown through African-American voters heavily voting democratically. This began with John F. Kennedy and his Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing public discrimination of minorities ("Black Party Affiliation" 1) . Since then, the amount of African-American’s voting democratically in Presidential Elections has been astronomical, with 93% of the Black vote being democratic for Barack Obama in 2012 (Smith 1). Since the democrats fought for African-American rights, they pledged their vote because of the representation they were receiving. This can also be seen when “interest groups and large donors contribute to the candidate who holds issue positions they approve of” (Rae 410). Both these groups want representation in government, and so this grows the party’s allegiance and support. If these groups feel represented, they will continue to endorse and vote for their specific party, which shows that the parties have grown stronger because they are representing the specific values of the …show more content…
People search for the parties that fit their needs and desires as an American citizen, and the party benefits from the support. The parties “enjoy a stronger and more committed mass base of support” (Rae 411). With the increasing presence of parties, they can all ban together to receive representation in government. As the party grows, the amount of voters and people willing to help the cause increase as well, showing that they are beneficial for everyone within the organization. Years of this back and forth representation has developed America’s strong presence of political parties that take up all levels of government. This is shown by Diana DeGette’s sweep of the election, because her party is behind her and votes in her favor. The strength of her party is proven by her consistent re-election, and the growth at which she has received votes furthers the argument. When DeGette first ran in 1996, she received 56.9% of votes (Colorado's 1st Congressional District Elections, 2014 1). It is estimated that in the 2016 election, she received 68.3% of votes, which confirms the argument that political parties have grown just over the past 20 years (Colorado's 1st Congressional District Election 2016 1). This party has grown because the constituent believes they are being well represented, which insures DeGette’s