Abstract
‘Who are Republicans? Who are Democrats? Who are the “others”?’ looks at party affiliation and the different relationships citizens have with political parties. Most American citizens have no formal affiliation with a political party, but hold a strong impression of what the two major parties stand for. Many who consider themselves independent will vote for either Democrats or Republicans. Candidates run with the support of party organizations, and once elected they identify with a party label but exercise a great deal of independence, while the electorate frequently switches support from one party to another.
