Majority and Minority Parties
The "Majority party" is the political party that either has a majority of seats or can form a coalition or caucus with a majority of seats; if two or more parties are tied, the vice president's affiliation determines which party is the majority party. The next-largest party is known as the minority party. The president pro tempore, committee chairs, and some other officials are generally from the majority party; they have counterparts (for instance, the "ranking members" of committees) in the minority party. Independents and members of third parties (so long as they do not caucus with or support either of the larger parties) are not considered in determining which is the majority party.
Read more about this topic: United States Senate
Famous quotes containing the words majority, minority and/or parties:
“There is something wonderful in seeing a wrong-headed majority assailed by truth.”
—John Kenneth Galbraith (b. 1908)
“Time and I against any two.”
—Spanish proverb.
Quoted by Cardinal Mazarin during the minority of Louis XIV.
“Both parties are injured by what is going on at Washington. Both are, therefore, more and more disposed to look for candidates outside of that atmosphere.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)