1. Parties and the President 1.Prospects for “Independent” presidents 2.Parties as resources for and constraints on presidents

2. Why two political parties Single member, plurality districts Electoral college Ballot Access Restrictions Campaign Finance Laws Voter loyalty Hard to raise money Hard to get media attention Hard to recruit strong candidates

3. Do third party presidential candidates stand a chance?

4. YearPresidential CandidateParty%PVEC 1848Van BurenFree Soil10%0 1856FillmoreWhig-American21%8 1860BreckinridgeSouthern Democrat18%0 1860BellConstitutional Union12%39 1892WeaverPopulist8%22 1912TRProgressive27%88 1924LaFolletteProgressive16%13 1948ThurmondDixiecrat2%39 1968WallaceAmerican Independent13%46 1980AndersonIndependent6%0 1992PerotReform19%0 1996PerotReform8%0

5. Significant Nader votes, 2000 State (EV)Nader % of vote % of votes separating Bush and Gore FL (25)1.63%.01% NM (5)3.55%.06% IA (7)2.23%.32% OR (7)5.04%.44% WI (11)3.62%.22%

6. Party as Constraint The nomination process Beholden to whom? –Members of Congress –Party bosses/activists –Party Identifiers –Donors, elected officials, and identifiers?

7. Party as Constraint Beholden to the party to the degree they get him elected 19 th century: More beholden 20 th century: Less beholden –Campaign finance rules limit relationship

8. Party as resource Support in the electorate

9. Party identifiers in the electorate

10. Party as resource Support in the electorate Support among members of Congress

11. President’s Average Legislative Success

12. Party as resource Support in the electorate Support among members of Congress –(Depends on unity of party)