Just in time for the 2012 elections, Parties, Interest Groups, and Political Campaigns, Second Edition, shows how political parties and interest groups have become highly interdependent in the era of candidate-centered elections, issue advocacy organizations, and media-driven campaigns.

Featuring up-to-date data that includes 2008 and 2010 mid-term results and analysis, the second edition looks ahead to 2012 by illustrating such important developments as the emergence of the Tea Party; increasingly polarized politics; divided government; social media; lobbying and interest group developments (including the passage of health care and financial sector reform legislation); and the impact of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision on campaign finance reform. Offering a powerful combination of scholarship, data, and examples, Parties, Interest Groups, and Political Campaigns, Second Edition, provides students with one-stop shopping for understanding the new style of American politics.

New to the Second Edition:

* An examination of the Tea Party and its connections to the Republican infrastructure

* New election data from 2008 and 2010, with a preview of 2012

* Coverage of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision and campaign finance reform

* An inside look at lobbying in the Obama Administration

* Updated tables and figures throughout

* New political ads and examples that add visual interest and encourage student engagement