Elections and Campaigns

Two Phases of Getting Elected -Getting Nominated -Getting Elected Getting Nominated -getting your name on the ballot -individual effort -Parties used to play a much larger role

Major differences between congressional and presidential elections -presidential elections are more competitive -fewer people vote in midterm elections -congressional incumbents can cater to their constituents -congressional candidates can campaign against Washington -power of presidential coattails has declined

Running for President Getting mentioned as being presidential calibur Getting mentioned as being presidential calibur Setting aside time to run Setting aside time to run Money Money Organization Organization Strategy and themes Strategy and themes

Primary vs. General Campaigns What works in a primary may not work in the general election What works in a primary may not work in the general election Iowa caucuses Iowa caucuses The balancing act The balancing act Two kinds of issues-position and valence issues Two kinds of issues-position and valence issues

Television, Debates, and Direct Mail Paid advertising Paid advertising News broadcasts News broadcasts Debates Debates Risks of slips of the tongue on visuals and debates- Rick Perry! Risks of slips of the tongue on visuals and debates- Rick Perry! Sell yourself as much or more than your ideas- Ronald Reagan Sell yourself as much or more than your ideas- Ronald Reagan The computer- changes the game The computer- changes the game The gap between running campaign and government has been growing-consultants The gap between running campaign and government has been growing-consultants

Money, Money, Money, Money Sources of campaign money -presidential primaries part private, part public -presidential general elections-all public ($75 million major party candidates) -campaign finance rules: Watergate and 1974 federal campaign reform law – Federal Election Commission

Effects of Reform Increased power of PAC’s Increased power of PAC’s Shifted control of money away from parties to candidates Shifted control of money away from parties to candidates Given advantage to wealthy challengers Given advantage to wealthy challengers -given advantage to ideological candidates -given advantage to ideological candidates -penalizes latecomers -penalizes latecomers -helped incumbents, hurt challengers -helped incumbents, hurt challengers

Proposed reforms? Cut individual donations Cut individual donations Free advertising for candidates Free advertising for candidates Ban soft money Ban soft money Federal funding Federal funding Abolish PAC’s Abolish PAC’s Presidential candidates have similar funds because of federal funding, but parties have different amounts of soft money.

Other Factors that are often Overstated VP nominee VP nominee Political reporting Political reporting Religion of the candidate Religion of the candidate Abortion as a single issue Abortion as a single issue New voting groups New voting groups *Party affiliation, state of the economy, and candidate character are most influential in presidential elections

What Decides Elections Party identification Party identification Issues, especially the economy Issues, especially the economy Prospective voting used by few voters Prospective voting used by few voters Retrospective voting practiced by most voters Retrospective voting practiced by most voters Campaigns make a difference Campaigns make a difference Campaigns tend to emphasize themes over details Campaigns tend to emphasize themes over details

Finding a Winning Coalition How loyal, or percentage voting for the party How loyal, or percentage voting for the party How important, or number voting for party How important, or number voting for party Democratic coalition-Blacks, Jews, Hispanics, Catholics, Southerners, Unionists Democratic coalition-Blacks, Jews, Hispanics, Catholics, Southerners, Unionists Republican- business and professionals, farmers Republican- business and professionals, farmers

Party Realignments due to issue changes within the parties Jeffersonians defeat Federalists- Federalism v. States’ rights Jeffersonians defeat Federalists- Federalism v. States’ rights 1828-Jacksonian Democrats win- Elitism 1828-Jacksonian Democrats win- Elitism Whigs collapse, Republicans win- Slavery Whigs collapse, Republicans win- Slavery Republicans defeat Bryan- Economics Republicans defeat Bryan- Economics 1932-FDR Democrats came to power- Economics 1932-FDR Democrats came to power- Economics 2012? 2012?

Party De-alignment General de-alignment due to party labels losing meaning for many voters General de-alignment due to party labels losing meaning for many voters Party decline Party decline -fewer people identify with either party -increase in ticket splitting -seeing effect of change from party- column voting to office-bloc ballot

Effects of Elections on Policy Depends on the office and the policy Depends on the office and the policy Parties have a limited ability to build coalitions of officeholders Parties have a limited ability to build coalitions of officeholders Winning coalitions may change from policy to policy Winning coalitions may change from policy to policy Conclusion- many American elections do make differences in policy, though constitutional system generally moderates the pace of change