1. Nominations and Campaigns

2. Deciding to Run First a candidate must decide to run
Presidency is the single most important political office and campaigning for it is a full time job not everyone wants
Candidate either needs to decide to run or have it be an open secret (Clinton 2016; trial balloon?) one year before the election

3. Caucuses and Primaries

4. Caucuses 13 states hold caucuses (including NV)
Basically like a primary, but done through discussion and choosing of delegates
Basic process
Delegates go up the convention pyramid

5. Iowa Caucus
First caucus of the primary season and the most important one – Feb
Sets the tone for the campaign
Winners get media attention and donations
Losers don’t

6. Primaries
If caucuses are basically like primaries, then primaries are actually like primaries…
Same general result: delegates are chosen (based on # of votes for a candidate) to go to the National Convention
Delegates can be assigned either proportionally (Dems) or left to state’s discretion (Reps)

7. New Hampshire Primary – 2nd Tuesday in March
Like Iowa, it’s important because it’s the first

8. Frontloading
States that have late primaries are often irrelevant to the nomination
All states want to feel important (it helps their self-esteem)
As a result, states have tried to move their primaries up in the calendar so they’re seen as more important in deciding the outcome
This is called frontloading
Generally, this process hurts voters; they have less time to learn about the candidates, and later states have no say in the election

9. Criticisms of primaries and caucuses
Too much attention on early caucuses and primaries
Difficult for high level politicians to take time away from their elected duties to run
Money plays too much of a role
Participation is low and unrepresentative
Too much power to the media

10. National Convention End of the primary season
Big political party…party… with lots of enthusiastic speeches and send-offs
Platforms are written
3rd day – states announce votes, votes are counted, and candidate is officially nominated

11. The campaign Now we have a candidate! What next?
Campaigning will last roughly from labor day to election day
Campaigns convince voters to choose a candidate by doing 3 things:

12. 1.) Assigning credit or blame for state of the country
Economy is usually the most important issue
There is a strong correlation between the strength of the economy and who gets elected
2.) Activating latent partisanship
Most people lean one way or the other. Campaigns remind people why they lean that way
Debates don’t usually move the needle. Just a chance to cheer
3.) Allowing voters to judge a candidate’s character
Voters, at least in theory, care about a candidate’s character; scandals can and do hurt candidates. Always exceptions though

13. How do voters learn about the candidates?
Advertising is #1 – so much money goes into advertising
Most ads are negative, and negative ads are most effective
Why?
Doesn’t mean all negative ads are lies
Negative ads are usually the most informative

14. Beyond ads
Ads are effective, but in presidential campaigns they tend to cancel each other out
Today’s candidates are also using a new technology called the “Internet” in order to campaign. These candidates have “websites” where people can use their personal computers to donate money “on-line.” It’s very cutting edge
Also social media (Obama, Hillary, Trump)
“Describe how your student debt makes you feel in 3 emojis or less”

15. Campaign Events Party’s convention – bump afterwards Rallies Speeches
Photo-ops
Media coverage of these events matters (Trump)

16. Coalitions?

17. Organizing the Campaign
Campaign Starter Kit! Includes:
Campaign manager
Fund Raiser
Consultants
Staff
Travel Logistics
Research staff and policy advisor
Pollster
Press Secretary
Website
Only $1,000,000, plus tax, void where prohibited (which is most places)

18. Campaign Finance There’s a lot
1974 Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
All election and campaign spending must be reported
Creates presidential election campaign fund: $3 check off box on tax return
Provides for partial public financing of primaries if a candidate raises $5,000 in 20 states: Fed govt. will match up to $250 for every donation they get
Full public financing in general election if the candidate accepts federal matching funds (puts limit on total expenditures)
Limited Contributions: $2000 per candidate (originally $1000), indexed to inflation (so currently $2600)

19. Challenges to FECA

20. Buckley v. Valeo
Supreme court said you can’t limit how much an individual contributes to their own campaign

21. Soft Money
Money raised by individuals, corporations, labor unions, and other groups to give to political parties
This money was unlimited as long as candidates were not backed by name

22. McCain-Feingold Act
Banned soft money contributions ($2000 limit)
Groups could not run “issue ads” within 60 days of general election if they refer to a candidate and aren’t funded through a PAC
“Stand by your Ad”: have to say “I approve this message” – intended to cut down on negative advertising
McConnel v. Federal Election Commission – court upholds law in 5-4 decision

23. “I approve this message because my opponent is a dirty, rotten liar”

24. Hydraulic theory of money
Money always finds its way into politics
527 Groups – 527 is area of tax code that governs certain political groups
Can make unlimited contributions as long as they don’t explicitly endorse candidates i.e. “vote for” “vote against”

25. Political Action Committees (PACs)
Created by corporations, unions, or other interest groups to raise money for campaigns
Limited to $5,000 per candidate or $15,000 per party
Basically any business, industry, or interest can have a PAC
“EggPAC, FishPAC, FurPAC, LardPAC” BackpackPAC

26. 2010 – Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission
Court rules (5-4) that corporations and interests can spend unlimited funds in support of or against candidates
“Corporations are people”
- Mitt Romney
Gives rise to “Super PACs”- which can spend unlimited money as long as they don’t coordinate with a particular candidate

27. Dark Money 501 (c)4 groups – tax code again
Social welfare organizations
AARP, NRA, Volunteer groups, religious groups
Can spend up to 50% of their money on politics but do not have to disclose their donors (hence, dark money)

28. Does all this money matter?
Depends who you talk to
It’s at least better than it used to be before FECA