The Democratic and Republican parties have increasingly coalesced around liberal and conservative identities and policy positions since the mid twentieth century. Yet, research suggests that in the past decade intra-party cleavages in both parties have become increasingly salient, with factions exerting significant influence over the policy direction and appeals of both major parties. This presentation identifies the concurrent trends between intra-party division within and partisan polarization between the two major parties and empirically demonstrates the presence of intra-party conflict in both parties. These intra-party differences remain prominent in 2022, influencing party positioning and shaping elite behavior and communication.

More information can be found here.