MIDDLE SCHOOL CIVICS
Part Seven: Donkeys and Elephants

We've talked about Tennessee, about the governor, and about the legislature. But we haven't talked about how we choose all these state leaders.

In the case of the governor, the Tennessee General Assembly, Tennessee's two U.S. Senators, and Tennessee's nine members of the U.S. House, they are elected by popular vote of the citizens of the state, or of the district that they represent. The best way to learn about this process is to follow it closely, to read the newspapers and to even volunteer to work on a campaign (you may be too young to vote, but you are never too young to volunteer). But there are a few things you need to know.
The two-party system

First of all, American politics has almost always operated on a two-party system. We won't delve into why this is, although it might be a great thing to research at some point in your life. But for now, the main thing to know is that the vast majority of Americans vote for either Democrats or Republicans.

And, by the way, the donkey is the symbol of the Democratic Party. The elephant is the symbol of the Republican Party, which is often referred to as the "GOP," which stands for Grand Ole Party.
Governor Bredesen speaks to the Tennessee General Assembly.
Governor Phil Bredesen is a Democrat, as are five of Tennessee's nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives. U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker are Republicans, as are four of the nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

As of January 2009, Republicans have a 19-14 majority in the Tennessee State Senate and a 50-49 majority in the State House of Representatives.

None of this prohibits anyone from running for public office as a member of another political party (such as the Green Party or the Socialist Party) or as an Independent. But, based on historic evidence, your chances of winning a political race are much higher if you run as a Republican or Democrat.

And what do the Republican and Democratic Parties stand for? The answer to that question entirely depends upon who you ask. We suggest you ask other people, talk to your parents or grandparents, and read up on the subject. But for the time being, click here for the web page of the Tennessee Democratic Party and here for the web page of the Tennessee Republican Party.

If you'll notice, in this section we did not discuss how judges and the Supreme Court get elected. That's a more complicated process discussed in high school civics. Click here if you want to read ahead.
So how does one actually sign up to run for public office? And how much money do you need to have a real chance to win in such a campaign? Click here to find out.

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