Leaders and Parties

Parties:  

• Party in the electorate (PIE)
• Party organization (PO)
• Partisan outside groups (POG)
• Party in government (PIG)

Party campaign committees:

Republican... RNC NRCC NRSC 

Democratic.. DNC DCCC* DSCC*

*Chair appointed by party leader

Four strategic postures

...............................................Majority.............................Minority

President's Party..........GOP 04, Dems 08...............GOP 06....Dems 10
Out Party.....................GOP 10, Dems 06...............GOP 08....Dems 04

Note:  even majorities of the president's party may split with the administration agenda.  See Democrats on trade in 1993 and 2014.

Hill leadership

• House
• Senate

Caucuses