How does individual people and groups of people influence the demoratic process

I agree with the other post in that we the people of America a very lucky to have a say in what happens here in our country, and who is running things. However I am torn at the same time to say how much individuals actually impact what goes on. I think at a state level we have much more influence on what happens than at a national level. Which is shown in the book on the first page of chapter 5 (pg.101), when stating that George Bush won the presidential election by electoral votes, but lost the popular vote (individual peoples votes). So even though our individual votes decide who represents our state, and what party our state affiliates with, this does not always guarantee that the people we elect to represent out state will vote the way that the majority of the state wants. It can depend on many things, such as the final candidates that are chosen after the primary, where these candidates lie regarding certain issues, and money. I also think that money is a greater influence than anything in our country and who, where and how it is being spent. I do however think that the media has a great influence on how individuals think regarding politics, which then directly effects how politics are run. Campaigns that reach more people and in positive way are more likely to have results in followers.