Transcript Nominations and Campaigns - Goshen Community Schools

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
– Other countries have short campaigns-
generally less than 2 months.
– U.S. campaigns (especially for President) can
last 18 months or more.
– Generally need to start out with an electoral
base already established.
The Nomination Game

Competing for Delegates
– The Caucus Road
 Caucus: Meetings of party leaders. Used to selected
delegates.
 Now organized like a pyramid from local precincts
to the state’s convention.
 Not used by many states.
 Iowa’s is 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.
 Most states use one of the forms of a primary.
 Many primaries are early- with New Hampshire
being the first.
 Generally 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 Perception of Iowa
and New Hampshire
Figure 9.1
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 platform: Statement of its goals and policies and
general beliefs.
– Official nominations and candidate speeches.
– http://politics.nytimes.com/election-
guide/2008/results/votes
The Campaign Game

The High-Tech Media Campaign
– Use of direct mail 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
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
Money and Campaigning

The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
– FEC: Created by law in 1974 to administer
campaign finance laws for federal elections.



Public financing of presidential elections
Limited spending & required disclosure
Limited contributions to campaigns (hard money)
– Soft Money
 Contributions (with no limits) used for partybuilding expenses or generic party advertising
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.
– Over 3900 PACs donating over $212 million
– Donate to candidates who support their issue,
regardless of party affiliation
– Are PACs buying candiates?
Money and Campaigning
$ given
% to Rep
Microsoft
3,942,435
53
Philip Morris
2,830,985
80
Am Fed of State Empl
6,500,889
1
Comm. workers of Am
3,687,614
1
NRA
2,884,127
92
Emily’s List
1,979,829
0
From Table 9.1
Money and Campaigning

Are Campaigns Too Expensive?
– Fund raising takes up lots of time.
– The closer the race, the more money is needed.

Does Money Buy Victory?
– Too much money can be worse than not
enough.
– But, candidates need “enough” money to win
The Impact of Campaigns

Campaigns are perceived as doing:
– 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