Why might a focus on the candidates be viewed as a weakening of the party system?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: An ideal response will:
1. Explain that candidate-centered politics is in evidence when the character of political candidates and the particular emphasis they give to particular issues override political affiliation as a basis on which voters form judgments, noting that not all members of a party coalition agree with a party's emphasis on the issues all the time.
2. Indicate that candidate-centered politics is a weakening of the party system because parties' diminished control over issues and campaigns also gives candidates considerable power in how they conduct themselves during election season and how they seek resources from different groups within their coalitions.