Aim: How do elections and
campaigns influence American
government and politics?
• How does the process of running for
elected office (Presidency or Congress)
in the U.S. differ from other
democracies?
-getting nominated
-winning the election
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
How do Presidential and Congressional
contest in the U.S. differ?
•
•
•
•
Size (participation)
Money spent
Competitiveness
Over 90% of Congressional incumbents get reelected
• Why?
• Congress and constituent service
• Congress (usually) can distance themselves
from “mess” in Washington
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
• What is the “coattail” effect?
• Does it exist today?
• What about negative coattails?
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT
• Getting “mentioned”
• Set aside time to run
• $ money $
• What can you give ($)?
• Organization – what does it do?
• Strategy and themes
–
–
–
–
–
Tone – positive or negative
Theme
Timing
Target
See text p. 199
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
So, you want to run for Congress?…what should
you know?
• Qualifications? –House –Senate
• Incumbency advantage?
• House races
-malapportionment
-gerrymandering
• How is it decided how many representatives
each state has in the House?
• How often does reapportionment occur?
• Who draws Congressional District boundaries?
• Where do you get money to run?
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
PRIMARY VS. GENERAL ELECTION
CAMPAIGN
• How will strategy differ?
• Difference between a primary and a
caucus?
• Balancing act?
• Triangulate
• Which states do you focus on in each?
• What is meant by “front loading”
(primary)?
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
TV, DEBATES, DIRECT MAIL, and INTERNET
• What is the distinction between a “Visual” and
a “Spot”? How is each important to
candidates? Which provides more
information?
• Can candidates be sold to the public like a
brand of cereal?
• Do debates make a difference in election
outcomes?
• Direct Mail/Internet: How has it
revolutionized fundraising?
CLINTON’S BOYS NATION
PHOTO-OP
DUKAKIS IN THE TANK
CAMPAIGN ADS
Narrator: There is a bear in the
woods. For some people the
bear is easy to see.
Others don't see it at all. Some
people say the bear is tame.
Others say it's vicious. And
dangerous. Since no one can
really be sure who is right
isn't it smart to be as strong as
the bear? If there is a bear
JOHN KERRY VISUALS
JOHN KERRY VISUALS
JOHN KERRY VISUALS
BUSH VISUALS
Obama and Hillary visuals
John McCain
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
MONEY AND CAMPAIGNS
• “Money is the mother’s milk of politics”
• Is it really?
• Sources of campaign money
-Presidential primary?
-Presidential general election
-Congress?
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
• 1974 Campaign Finance Reform Act
• Created PACs and FEC
• Donation limits for individuals ($1000)
and PACs ($5000) for candidates for
elected office and for parties
(campaigns)
• “hard money”
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
• 2002 Campaign Finance Reform Act
• John McCain and Russ Feingold
• Ban on “soft money”
• Ban on foreign contributions
• Limit on individual contributions raised from
$1000 to $2000 (per candidate per election)
• “independent expenditures” limited
• Overturned in 2010 by Supreme Court
(Citizens United ruling)
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
MONEY AND WINNING - PRESIDENCY
• Presidential races – money is less of a factor
• Other factors whose influence is overstated
–
–
–
–
–
Vice Presidential nominee
Political reporting
Religion of presidential candidate
Abortion as a single issue
New voting groups
WHAT MATTERS?: Party affiliation, state of the
economy, and candidate character influences voting
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
MONEY AND WINNING – CONGRESS
• Congressional races, money has a decisive
effect
• Challenger must spend to have a shot
• Incumbents have advantage in fundraising
• Money is not the only factor
• Party , incumbency, and issues also have a role
Why do Congressional incumbents have such a
large advantage?
– Constituent service, grant money (pork)
– Franking privilege, name recognition
– Free publicity by sponsoring legislation or conducting
investigations
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
WHAT DECIDES ELECTIONS?
• Party ID
• Issues, especially…
• Prospective v. retrospective voting
• Position issues v. valence issue
• Midterm elections and President’s party
• Campaign
• Character of candidate
• Should the private lives of candidates matter?
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
WHAT DECIDES ELECTIONS?
• FINDING A WINNING COALITION
• Whose loyal?
• How important are they?
• Democratic coalition
• Republican coalition
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
ELECTION 2000
• Gore v. Bush
• Bush wins
• 271-267 (electoral college)
• But loses popular vote
• Florida vote count controversy
• Dangling chads and Butterfly ballots
Palm Beach County
Butterfly Ballot
DANGLING CHADS
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
• Why do Congressional incumbents have
such a huge advantage in electoral
politics?
• Should there be term limits for
members of Congress?
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
• Due, in part, to the role of the media
and the decline of political parties,
candidates’ campaigns have become
more individualistic (more personalized)
and less issue-oriented. How serious a
problem is this trend?
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
• With the rise of the “adversarial press”,
the personal lives of candidates has
gained more attention. Should the
private lives of candidates matter? (past
–present)
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
• How much can an individual donate to a
candidate in a single election? (…PAC?)
• What is the distinction between “hard”
and “soft” money?
• How did the Campaign Finance Reform
Act of 2002 deal with the “loop holes” in
the previous act?
• How did the Citizen United ruling
(2010) change the 2002 provision
regarding independent expenditures?
Aim: ELECTIONS AND
CAMPAIGNS
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
• Is the advantage that wealthy individuals have
in running for elective office in the United
States a problem that needs to be addressed?
• Should there be public financing of
Campaigns?
-Presidential, Congressional
-Free-air time?
-Strict limits to “campaign season”
• Should the 22nd Amendment be repealed?
Test Review
ELECTIONS AND CAMPAIGNS
• Reapportionment and redistricting
• Gerrymandering/malapportionment
• Congressional incumbency advantages
(electoral politics)
• Presidential elections – regions and
party preference
• Campaign finance reform: 1974 and
2002