What role does the national party organization perform in relation to congressional candidates?

Answer 1

A political party is a group of individuals with broad common interests who organize in order to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy, both at the state and national level. The most organized political parties are found at the state level. But both state and national political parties provide the following for the citizens of the nation:

1. Recruiting candidates to run for office and to present the goals and ideals of the political party.

2. By campaigning, educate the public on the issues of the day and how that particular party plans to meet those issues.

3. Operating the government. Parties play a key role in running and staffing the branches of the government. Both Congress and state legislatures carry on their work on the basis of party affiliation. Party leaders make sure the members support the party's position when it comes time to vote on a bill.

4. Parties dispense favors, known as patronage, to reward party loyalists. The favors include jobs, contracts, and appointments to positions in government.

5. The party out of office must act as "the loyal opposition" and assume the role of "watchdog" over the party in power.