Who does the President Represent?

The United States? Dual role –Head of Executive/Head of State Honeymoon period

Why should he be responsive to everyone? Term limits Judged by history

Why shouldn’t he be most responsive to those who elected him? Who elects him?

Nominating a presidential candidate Delegates to the national nominating convention vote on who the nominee will be Delegates are chosen through primaries, caucuses, and conventions

All about Delegate Selection Presidential Primary: –A state-sponsored election to select delegates to national nominating convention Caucus: –A meeting where any affiliated voter can come and select individuals to serve as delegates in favor of a candidate Convention: –A meeting of predetermined party officials

West Virginia Party Convention 18 delegates selected tomorrow All 18 delegates awarded to candidate who wins a solid majority of the vote at the convention on one of the first three ballots.

Colorado Closed caucus Precinct caucuses select delegates to county conventions, which select delegates to congressional district conventions, where 36 National Convention delegates will be chosen

California Closed Primary 170 delegates 159 allocated to the winner in each of 53 congressional districts (3 per district) 11 allocated to winner of statewide vote Polls close 8pm

California Open primary 370 delegates selected 241 allocated proportionally based on primary results in each of 53 congressional districts 129 allocated based on statewide vote Polls close 8:00 pm 3 delegates: CDs 20, 47 4 delegates: CDs 2, 3, 11, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 31, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 51, 52 5 delegates: CDs 1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15, 17, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 33, 35, 36, 37, 50, 53 6 delegates: CDs 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 30

Nominating a presidential candidate Delegates to the national nominating convention vote on who the nominee will be Dems/Reeps have different rules for selecting delegates, and select them on different dayson different days

Date 1996 Jan wk1 Jan wk2 Jan wk3 Jan wk4 AK, HI Feb wk1 LA Feb wk2 IA Feb wk3 NH Feb wk4 DE, AZ, ND, SD Mar wk1 CA, CT, GA, ME, MD, HI, MN, ND, MA, NY, OH, RI, VT

Date Jan wk1 IA, WY Jan wk2 NH, Jan wk3 MI, NV Jan wk4 SC, FLAK, HI Feb wk1 ME, CA, NY, IL, NJ, MA, GA, MN, MO, TN, CO, AZ, AL, CT, AR, OK, KS, NM, UT, DE, ID, ND, AL, MT LA Feb wk2 LA, NE, WA, ME, DC, MD, VA, HI, WI IA Feb wk3 NH Feb wk4 DE, AZ, ND, SD Mar wk1 OH, RI, TX, VTCA, CT, GA, ME, MD, HI, MN, ND, MA, NY, OH, RI, VT

Why is the calendar important? Why are the early states so important?

Why is the calendar important? Early states (traditionally) have determined the outcome due to… Bandwagon effect Media coverage Ability to raise more money

The Presidential nomination process Advantages of Winning “The Invisible Primary” Competition for: – media “frontrunner” status –elite endorsements (Clinton, GOP example)ClintonGOP example –moneymoney

Why shouldn’t he be most responsive to those who elected him? Who elects him? Median voter theory Battleground states representative of the nation

Targeted States, 2004 StateBattlegroundTotal US Income under $35 K Income over $100K High school diploma Black Latino Mainline protestant Evangelical protestant Catholic Unaffiliated

Why shouldn’t he be most responsive to those who elected him? Who elects him? Median (swing) voters? His party?

So who does the president represent? His donors? His party? Part of his party? The whole electorate? Those who voted for him? Is the answer different in his second term?