Local party activists : Amateur or professional? The case of Houston, Texas

Local political party activists have been described using several different 'models.' This thesis develops the professional-amateur framework to test against a sample of precinct committeemen, party activists, in Houston, Texas. Seven propositions, derived from the 'model,' are tested. Results from the rests indicate that while activists are recruited by different incentives, there is neither a significant relationship between activist type and social or economic characteristics of the committeemen, nor between activist type and electoral success of the organization. In short, the professional-amateur scheme does not discriminate for the sample of committeemen in Houston.