Nominations and Campaigns Chapter 9

The Nomination Game Nomination:  The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party. Generally, success requires momentum, money, and media attention. Campaign Strategy:  The master plan candidates lay out to guide their electoral campaign.

The Nomination Game Deciding to Run  Campaigns are physically and emotionally taxing.  Other countries have short campaigns - generally less than 2 months.  U.S. campaigns (especially for President) can last 18 months or more.

The Nomination Game Competing for Delegates  The Caucus Road Caucus: Meetings of state party leaders. Used to select delegates. Now organized like a pyramid from local precincts to the state’s convention. Not used by many states. The Iowa caucus is first and considered the most important.

The Nomination Game Competing for Delegates  The Primary Road Primary: Elections in which voters choose the nominee or delegates pledged to the nominee. Started by turn of the century reformers. Frontloading is the tendency of states to hold primaries early - New Hampshire is first. Generally primaries serve as elimination contests.

The Nomination Game Competing for Delegates  Evaluating the Primary and Caucus System Disproportionate attention to the early ones. Prominent politicians find it difficult to make time to run. Money plays too big a role. Participation in primaries and caucuses is low and unrepresentative. The system gives too much power to the media.

The Nomination Game The Convention Send-off  Once provided great drama, but now they are a basic formality - which means less TV time.  Are still important to the party to get organized and motivated. (Party pep rally)  Party platform: Statement of its goals and policies and general beliefs; officially introduced at convention  Official nominations and candidate speeches.

The Campaign Game 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 focuses on strategies and events, not on policies (horse race)

The Campaign Game Organizing the Campaign  Get a campaign manager  Get a fund-raiser & counsel  Hire media and campaign consultants  Assemble staff / plan the logistics  Get research staff, policy advisors & pollsters  Get a good press secretary  Establish a website

Money and Campaigning The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms  Federal Election Campaign Act (1974) Created the FEC to administer campaign finance laws for federal elections. Created the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Provided partial public financing for presidential primaries (matching funds). Provided full public financing for major party candidates in the general election. Required full disclosure. Limited Contributions.

Money and Campaigning  Soft Money Contributions (with no limits) used for party-building expenses or generic party advertising  Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002) banned soft money, increased amount individuals can contribute, and limited “issue ads.”

Specifics of the BCRA The law bans soft money (unlimited campaign contributions to political parties) prevents special interest groups from spending corporate or labor union money on broadcast ads that mention a candidate just prior to an election.soft money The law also doubles the hard money limits for individuals.doubles The law’s soft money restrictions have greatly impacted the way campaign funds are raised: Political parties collected nearly $500 million in soft money contributions during the 2002 elections. Shortly after the bill was signed by President Bush, several groups filed lawsuits, challenging the law’s constitutionality. The AFL-CIO, American Civil Liberties Union and the National Rifle Association say the legislation’s curbs on issue ads are an unconstitutional limit on free speech; asked for the law’s ban on soft money contributions to be struck down.filed lawsuits In May 2003, a federal court ruled that the law’s ban on soft money was unconstitutional, allowing the political parties to resume raising the unlimited campaign contributions. The court restricted how soft money can be spent, prohibiting political parties from using it to run issue ads. The court also rejected the law's ban on issue ads by special interest groups in the weeks leading up to an election, instead adopting a stricter standard that applies to ads aired at any time.

While it agreed to ban all soft money, the Senate did vote to double the amount of hard money an individual can contribute to a federal candidate to $2,000 per election. (Is adjusted for inflation) That increase, coupled with the soft money ban, gives the GOP a potential fundraising advantage. The GOP traditionally raises more hard money, with soft money comprising only about a third of the party’s campaign funds. The Democrats raised roughly half of their money from soft money donors during the last election.

Individual contribution limits for The following limits apply to contributions from individuals to candidates for all Federal offices. $2,300 per Election to a Federal candidate -- Each primary, runoff, and general election counts as a separate election. $28,500 per calendar year to a national party committee -- applies separately to a party's national committee, and House and Senate campaign committee. $10,000 per calendar year to state, district & local party committees $5,000 per calendar year to state, district & local party committee (PAC) Aggregate Total -- $108,200 per two-year election cycle as follows: $42,700 per two-year cycle to candidates $65,500 per two-year cycle to all national party committees and PACs, of which no more than $40,000 can go to PACs NOTE: Married couples are considered to be separate individuals with separate contribution limits.

Money and Campaigning The Proliferation of PACs  Definition: Created by law in 1974 to allow corporations, labor unions and others to donate money to campaigns.  As of 2004 there were 3,868 PACs.  PACs contributed over $258 million to congressional candidates in  Donate to candidates who support their issue, regardless of party affiliation  Not sufficient data that PACs “buy” candidates

Money and Campaigning The Decline in Income Tax Check-Off Participation for Federal Financing of Campaigns (Figure 9.3)

Money and Campaigning

The Impact of Campaigns Campaigns have three effects on voters:  Reinforcement, Activation, Conversion Mostly, they only reinforce & activate  Selective perception: pay attention to things we agree with.  Party identification still has an affect  Incumbents start with a substantial advantage

Understanding Nominations and Campaigns Are Nominations and Campaigns Too Democratic?  Campaigns are open to almost everyone.  Campaigns consume much time and money.  Campaigns promote individualism in American politics. 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 make government cuts.