Texas caucuses
Encyclopedia
The Texas caucuses are a political event associated with primaries
, the process by which voters in the U.S. state
of Texas
ultimately select their parties
' nominees for various offices. The process as a whole is referred to as the Texas Two-step, after the partner dance of the same name, because Texans must first vote in the primary election in order to be eligible for caucusing.
The process differs for Democrats
and Republicans
. The Republican caucuses select participants for the state convention, while the presidential nominee
is selected winner-takes-all according to the outcome of the primaries. The Democratic caucuses play a larger role in national politics; the primary itself selects sixty-five percent of delegates to the county convention, since turn-out at this event apportions the other thirty-five percent according to the number of supporters each presidential candidate has.
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, the process by which voters in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
ultimately select their parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
' nominees for various offices. The process as a whole is referred to as the Texas Two-step, after the partner dance of the same name, because Texans must first vote in the primary election in order to be eligible for caucusing.
The process differs for Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. The Republican caucuses select participants for the state convention, while the presidential nominee
Presidential nominee
In United States politics and government, the term presidential nominee has two distinct meanings.The first is the person chosen by the primary voters and caucus-goers of a political party to be the party's nominee for President of the United States...
is selected winner-takes-all according to the outcome of the primaries. The Democratic caucuses play a larger role in national politics; the primary itself selects sixty-five percent of delegates to the county convention, since turn-out at this event apportions the other thirty-five percent according to the number of supporters each presidential candidate has.