Electoral Campaigns

Learning Objectives Describe the Features and Strategies for Campaigning for Federal Office Explain the key factors that influence voters’ choices

steps in the campaign: 1) Setting the stage 2) Before the Campaign 3) The General Elections

Setting the Stage Open seat vs. incumbency

Before the campaign Permanent campaign

The General Election Campaign Promises and Platforms Political Ads Websites/ Social Media Debates GOTV or ground game: A campaign's efforts to "get out the vote" or make sure their supporters vote on Election Day Confronting other Candidates Attack Ads

Attack Ads Hillary “Real Progress Now” Bush Portrays Trump as a Bully

What makes a political ad effective? Emotion Persuasion Truth Style

Emotion How do you think the makers of the ad want you to feel? How do you know? How does the ad actually make you feel? Does the ad succeed? What is the tone of the ad? (For example, is it inspirational, hopeful, frightening, sarcastic, etc.?) What is the ad’s argument? Does the tone reflect the argument? Why or why not?

Girl With Daisy

Persuasion What is the central issue of this ad? Does the ad tell you why this issue is important? What is the ad's argument? How does the ad support its argument? Is it convincing?

Truth Does this ad make specific factual claims? List all of the claims the ad makes. Are these claims general or specific? Does the ad cite any sources to support its claims? If so, are they reliable sources?

Style What do you see in the ad? Do you hear music in the ad? How are the images edited together? Do you hear music in the ad? Is there a voiceover? Are there sound effects? Do the images and sounds advance the ad's argument or heighten its emotional appeal? Why or why not?

What is the role of the FEC? What did the Citizen’s United case do? 207

You Decide Page 211

527 and campaign Finance What is the difference between hard and soft money?

Super PACS PAC’s = Hard money limits (see chart 7.1) Super PACs or 527 organizations have no funding limits Example from Colbert

Current Event Koch Brothers’ Budget of $889 Million for 2016 Is on Par With Both Parties’ Spending NYT 2015 NYT Interactive on 2016 Spending

How do people vote? What is the Paradox of voting?

Paradox of Voting the expected benefits of voting are less than the costs. the costs of voting will normally exceed the expected benefits. the chance of an individual casting the winning vote is small any realistic estimate of what the private individual benefits of the different possible outcomes,

What are the different voting cues?

Voting Cues Incumbency Partisanship Personal vote Personal characteristics Retrospective evaluation For or against party in power

Normal Elections Coattails Split Ticket Straight ticket The idea that a popular president can generate additional support for candidates affiliated with his party. Split Ticket A ballot on which a voter selects candidates from more than one political party Straight ticket A ballot on which a voter selects candidates from only one political party

See Chart 7.3 pg. 215 Source: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/nov/11/facebook-posts/congress-has-11-approval-ratings-96-incumbent-re-e/