Are political parties guided by ideology or are they concerned simply with winning elections?

A political party can be broadly defined as an organisation that sponsors candidates for political office under the organisations name .  They are seen as one of the key ingredients of democracies, because they allow the people the opportunity to elect the government of the day, through general elections, where citizens are each allowed to cast a single vote for the party of their choice.  As a result we can see that they provide a link between the rulers and the ruled, and thus bridge the gap between the people and the government.  With one political commentator describing them as the creators of democracy and modern democracy is unthinkable save in terms of parties .  Whilst the majority of Americans hold the opinion that parties are necessary for democratic…(short extract)