Where's the Party? Congressional Candidate Recruitment and American Party Organizations

RE candidates for Congress recruited by political parties, or do A they emerge from a pool of politically interested citizens having had little or no contact with formal party organizations? The answer is of considerable importance to students of American politics, for the influence of political parties is dependent to a significant extent on the ability of party organizations to influence the selection of officeholders. Moreover, theories of the revitalization of party organizations can also be evaluated if we have more information about their role in the recruitment of candidates.