Parties, Elections, and the Interest Group Connection

Polarization

• Ideological gaps
• Demographic gaps
• Geographic gaps

"CQ Vote Studies: Party Unity." CQ Magazine (February 12, 2018).
http://library.cqpress.com.ccl.idm.oclc.org/cqweekly/weeklyreport115-000005263236 .

Interest groups

• JFK accepted life membership in the National Rifle Association
• In 2018, polarized view of the NRA
• Strong (but not perfect) polarization on guns in the Senate
• Interest groups and conventions -- why conventions and platforms matter to interest groups

Political Money

• Compare NRA in 1990 with NRA in 2018
• Abortion
• For economic interest groups, a key variable is chamber control:  consider insurance, casinos, banks

Limits

• A timeline of efforts to curb spending
• Federal limits
• State limits

LoopholesState elections

• Super PACs and Dark Money Groups