Final answer:
The statement is true: political parties organize around multiple issues to build broad voter coalitions, navigate political differences, and balance being inclusive with maintaining party unity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that political parties avoid defining themselves or the election in single-issue terms is true. Winning elections and implementing policies are complex tasks that require political parties to address a variety of issues. In the United States, parties must organize around multiple issues to build broad coalitions of voter support, navigate political differences across states, and avoid marginalization or internal disagreement.
Political parties must take on great responsibilities, such as raising money, influencing policy, registering voters, and organizing at every level where elections occur. They also have to identify and align with issues important to voters, as we can see in party platforms that articulate their positions. This helps them to create large electoral coalitions necessary for gaining control of the government and implementing policy preferences. Political parties are unique organizations in that they act both as vehicles for electoral competition and as structures for governing. By winning elections, they set public policy as their candidates enter office. This necessitates a broad approach to policy issues to satisfy a wide array of voter interests and maintain party unity.