Chapter 9
Nominations
and
Campaigns
Edwards, Wattenberg, and Lineberry
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy
Fourteenth Edition
MAG CH 9 SUM
THE NOMINATING PROCESS
HISTORICAL METHODS
SELF-ANNOUNCEMENT
CAUCUS
CONVENTION
MAG CH 9 SUM
CURRENT NOMINATION METHODS
DIRECT PRIMARY
CLOSED, OPEN, BLANKET
PETITION
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
NATIONAL CONVENTION
DELEGATES ELECT
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BALLOT CHARACTERISTICS
(AUSTRALIAN BALLOT)
PUBLIC EXPENSE
LIST ALL CANDIDATES
GIVEN ONLY ONE @ POLLS
SECRET VOTE
CH 9 SUM
MONEY
“THE MOTHER’S MILK OF POLITICS”
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES
(PACs)
FEDERAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION
Group Voting Patterns
Back
Nature of Modern Campaigns
 Most electoral contests are similar in a number of ways.
 Nomination campaign aimed at winning primary.
 General election campaign aimed at winning final race.
The Nomination Game
Nomination
The official endorsement of a
candidate for office by a political
party
Generally, success requires
momentum, money, and media
attention.
Deciding to Run
(Info Focuses on the Presidency)
Campaigns are more physically and
emotionally taxing than ever. (full
time job)
American campaigns are much
longer.
Other countries have short
campaigns, generally less than two
months.
Competing for Delegates
Nomination game is an elimination
contest
Goal is to win a majority of delegates’
support at the national party
convention, or the supreme power
within each of the parties
Winning a Caucus
Caucus: meetings of state party leaders
for selecting delegates to the national
convention
A handful of states use a caucus—open
to all voters who are registered with a
party
The Iowa caucus is first and most
important.
Winning a Primary
Primary: elections in which voters in a
state vote for a nominee (or delegates
pledged to the nominee)
Began at turn of 20th century by
“progressive” reformers
Most delegates are chosen through
primaries.
Superdelegates
Frontloading New Hampshire is first.
Competing for Delegates
Disproportionate attention to early C / P
Money plays too big a role.
Participation is low (20 percent) and
unrepresentative
The system gives too much power to the
media.
The National Convention
Now are a formality, Less TV time.
Key note speaker on the 1st day
Party platform on the 2nd day
Formal nomination of president and v-p
candidates on 3rd & 4th days
The High-Tech Media Campaign
Direct mail used to generate support and
money for the candidate
Get media attention through ad budget
and “free” coverage
Emphasis on “marketing” a candidate
News stories focus more on the “horse
race” than substantive policy issues
Organizing the Campaign
Get a campaign manager
Get a fund-raiser and campaign counsel
Hire media and campaign consultants
Assemble staff and plan logistics
Research staff, policy advisors, pollsters
Get a good press secretary
Establish multiple website
Money and Campaigning
Federal Election Campaign Act (1974)
Created the Federal Election Commission (FEC)
Created the Presidential Election Campaign Fund
Partial public financing for presidential primaries
Required full disclosure and limited contributions
Soft Money: political contributions (not subject to
contribution limits) earmarked for partybuilding expenses or generic party advertising
The McCain-Feingold Act (2002) banned soft
money, increased amount of individual
contributions, and limited “issue ads.”
527s: independent groups that seek to influence
political process but are not subject to
contribution restricts because they do not directly
seek election of particular candidates
The Proliferation of PACs
Political Action Committees (PACs)
Groups that donate money to campaigns.
Are registered with and monitored by the FEC.
PACs contributed over $372.1 million to
congressional candidates in 2006.
PACs donate to candidates who support their issue.
PACs do not “buy” candidates, but give to
candidates who support them in the first place.
The Impact of Campaigns
Campaigns have three effects on voters:
Reinforcement, Activation, Conversion
Several factors weaken campaigns’ impact
Selective perception: pay most attention to
things we agree with
Party identification still influence voting
behavior
Incumbents begin with sizeable advantage
• Do Big Campaigns Lead to an
Increased Scope of Government?
• Candidates make numerous
promises, especially to state
and local interests.
• Hard for politicians to promise
to cut size of government
Citizens United v F.E.C (2010)
• 5-4 ruling (conservatives over liberals)
• Freedom of Speech Protected
• Money = speech
• Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
• Unlimited donations allowed
• From independent (non-partisan)
sources
• Limited timely public disclosure
Summary
• Campaigns are media-oriented and
expensive.
• Delegates are selected through caucuses
and primaries.
• Money and contributions from PACs
regulated by the FEC are essential to
campaigns.
• Campaigns reinforce perceptions but
do not change minds.
Expenditures by PACs
Back
CAMPAIGNS ARE NOW
“PERSONALITY BASED”
POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE
LESS CONTROL OF CANDIDATE
LOWER VOTER TURNOUTS
FOCUS ON “LIKELY VOTERS”
TYPES OF CAMPAIGN WORKERS
* PAID POLITICAL PROFESSIONALS
ISSUE CONSULTANTS
ECON., FOR., & DOM. POLICIES
MEDIA CONSULTANTS
POLLS, MAILING, ADS
* UNPAID SENIOR ADVISORS
* CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS
Candidate and Staff
 Candidates run for a number of reasons.
 Volunteers focus on canvassing and get out the vote.
 Personal staff led by campaign manager.
 Also have finance chair, pollster, Internet team.
 Communications director, direct mailer, press secretary.
 Campaign and media consultants may be hired.
Campaign
Organization
Back
DECISIONS TO BE MADE
EXTREME IDEOLOGICAL
VIEWS FOR PRIMARY VOTES?
OR MODERATE VIEWS
FOR GENERAL ELECTION VOTES?
NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN OR POSITIVE CAMPAIGN
INSIDER OR OUTSIDER PERSONALITY
WHAT GROUPS TO APPEAL TO
WHAT APPEARANCES TO MAKE & WHERE
TELEVISION IS VERY IMPORTANT
PAID “SPOTS”, ADS
NEWS “VISUALS”
DEBATES
CONVENTIONS
ARE LESS IMPORTANT
“RED MEAT” FOR BASE
OUTREACH FOR MODERATES
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS COST $$$$
WHOEVER SPENDS THE MOST,
USUALLY (74%) WINS
LARGE “MONEY ADVANTAGE” HELPS
CHALLENGERS MORE THAN INCUMBENTS
WHERE DOES CAMPAIGN MONEY COME FROM?
1-CANDIDATES THEMSELVES
2-THE WEALTHY
$2,000 MAX PER CANDIDATE
3-ORGANIZATIONS, INTEREST GROUPS & P.A.C.s
$5,000 MAX PER CANDIDATE (???)
4-SMALL INDIVIDUAL DONORS
MOST MONEY COMES FROM HERE
5-THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES/ELECTIONS ONLY
2008 Election Analysis
 Obama made gains in South and West.
 Voter turnout was as high as it had been since 1964.
 Obama’s choice not to use public financing helped him.
 African Americans and women were keys for Obama.
2008 Contribution Limits
An individual can give up to:
$2,000 per election to any candidate or
candidate committee
$25,000 per calendar year to a national party
committee
$10,000 per calendar year to each state or
local party committee
$5,000 per calendar year to a Political Action
Committee (PAC)
$95,000 per two-year election cycle to
candidates, national party committees
and PACs
1972 CAMPAIGN REFORM HELPED…
WEALTHY CANDIDATES
THOSE WHO APPEAL TO MANY PEOPLE
INCUMBENTS
EARLY CAMPAIGNERS
CELEBRITIES
POLITIC ACTION COMMITTEES
2000 ELECTION REFORMS
LIMIT “SOFT MONEY”
527 GROUPS CREATED
“swift boat” groups
CRITICAL OR REALIGNING PERIODS
A LASTING SHIFT IN POPULAR COALITIONS
1800 - JEFFERSON’S D-R=FEDERALISTS FOLDED
1828 - JACKSONIAN DEMOCRATS IN POWER
1860 - LINCOLN REPS. REPLACE THE WHIGS
1896 - W.J. BRYANT DEMOCRATIC POPULISM
1932 - FDR NEW DEAL COALITION
1980 - THE REAGAN REVOLUTION ?
CAN REALIGNMENT OCCUR WITH...
WEAKER POLITICAL PARTIES?
PERSONALITY ELECTIONS?
MORE SPLIT TICKET VOTING?
NO CRITICAL NATIONWIDE ISSUES?
GERRYMANDERING
• THE INTENTIONAL
REALIGNMENT OF
DISTRICTS TO
FAVOR ONE
POLITICAL PARTY
GERRYMANDERING (legal)
MINORITY-MAJORITY DISTRICTS
(unconstitutional)
2009 ELECTION CYCLE
KEY STATE RESULTS
• NEW REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS
• VIRGINIA & NEW JERSEY
• AFFLUENT SUBURBANITES – BIG REP GAINS
• DEMOCRATIC FED.HOUSE SEAT
• NE NEW YORK (NY-23)
• REPUBLICAN SPLIT (MOD. VS CONS.)
• MAINE VOTES NO ON GAY MARRIAGE
• REFERENDUM AGAINST LAW PASSED
• OHIO VOTES YES TO CASINOS
ELECTIONS & CAMPAIGNS
OBJECTIVES
1-DEMONSTRATE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PARTYORIENTED CAMPAIGNS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY AND
THE CANDIDATE-ORIENTED CAMPAIGNS OF TODAY.
2-EXPLAIN THE MAJOR ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL
CAMPAIGN FOR OFFICE TODAY.
ELECTIONS & CAMPAIGNS
OBJECTIVES
3-DISCUSS HOW IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN FUNDING IS TO
ELECTION OUTCOMES.
4-DEFINE THE TERM REALIGNING ELECTION AND DISCUSS THE
MAJOR EXAMPLES OF SUCH ELECTIONS IN THE PAST. ALSO
ADDRESS THE CONCERN OVER WHETHER REALIGNMENT IS
AGAIN UNDERWAY.
ELECTIONS & CAMPAIGNS
OBJECTIVES
5-DESCRIBE WHAT THE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS EACH
MUST DO TO PUT TOGETHER A SUCCESSFUL NATIONAL
COALITION TO WIN ELECTIONS.
6-DO ELECTIONS RESULT IN MAJOR CHANGES IN PUBLIC POLICY
IN THE UNITED STATES?
ELECTIONS & CAMPAIGNS
IMPORTANT TERMS
BLANKET PRIMARY
CLOSED PRIMARY
COATTAILS (POLITICAL)
CRITICAL (REALIGNING) PERIODS
DIRECT MAIL
GENERAL ELECTION
INCUMBENT
INDEPENDENT
OFFICE-BLOC BALLOT
OPEN PRIMARY
PARTY-COLUMN BALLOT
ELECTIONS & CAMPAIGNS
IMPORTANT TERMS
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (PAC)
POSITION ISSUE
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
PRIMARY ELECTION
PROSPECTING VOTING
RETROSPECTIVE VOTING
RUNOFF PRIMARY
SPLIT-TICKET VOTING
STRAIGHT-TICKET VOTING
VALENCE ISSUE
VISUAL