2. Nominations and Campaigns
A Changing Game—Influence of Media & Money on Politics

3. Incumbency Advantage Incumbency Advantage… What is it?
Tendency of the current officeholder to win re-election
Most important factor in determining outcome of Congressional elections (Over 90% in House; over 75% in Senate)
Why does this exist?
Money, 2:1 ratio v. challengers
Visibility
Gerrymandering

4. Nomination Process Deciding to Run
Build a Base/Fund Raise
Develop Vague Platform
Party-Centered
Issue Centered
Candidate Centered… More common now…why?
Clinch Party’s Nomination: Nat’l Conv.
Goal: win majority of delegate votes from primary/caucuses & thus clinch party nomination

5. Selecting Delegates to the Party Convention
Caucus
Primary
Closed meeting of like-minded people
Delegates Selected:
Precinct level …. County …. District …
Iowa Caucus
People vote directly for a candidate; delegates then selected accordingly.
Open, Closed, & Blanket
Blanket – can vote for both dem and GOP
Open – can vote only for one
Closed – have to be a registered member
New Hampshire Primary
Delegates chosen to move on to next level,

6. Iowa Caucus

7. Frontloading What is meant by Frontloading? What is Super Tuesday?
States hold their primaries early to capitalize on media attention
Why is this trend occurring?
What is Super Tuesday?

8. National Convention Meet every 4 years to :
Nominate the presidential and vice presidential candidates
Bring party back together
Write the party’s platform.
What’s the platform?
Delegates to convention chosen thru primaries/caucus
Superdelegates
Reserved the National Convention for party leaders.
Statement of Goals and policies for next for years

9. Changing Campaigns Increasing Impact of Media Technology
Bandwagon Effect, Sensationalism,
Focus on trivial; Sound Bite-Journalism; Speculation
Technology
Social Networks
Mass Impact on Funding
Free Media Exposure (News clips)
Advertising
Growth of negative campaigning
Extremely high costs

10. Campaign Spending…Is It Out of Control?
How much can you contribute:
$2,700 per election to a Federal candidate
$5,000 per calendar year to a PAC
$10,000 per calendar year to a State or local party committee
$100 in currency (cash) to any political committee.
Co springs carry advantage 2 to 1; obama lost by 19% in 2008…but spending more money there this year…ad space less expensive in co springs than in denver…and whether you carry swing state not necessarily only winning votes in your strongholds…doesn’t matter where you make up the 5%...

11. Federal Election Reform Act (1974)
Buckley v. Valeo (1976) – campaign spending = free speech
McCain-Feingold Act/ Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Act
Limited Soft Money in fed. campaigns
Buckley: Said can’t limit individuals contribution to their own campaign b/c limits speech

12. Political Action Committees (PACs)
Groups formed by business, labor, or other interest groups; sole purpose raise money/make contributions to help elect a political candidate whom they support or help defeat a candidate

13. Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee (2010)
freedom of speech prohibits the government from restricting independent political expenditures by nonprofit corporations, for-profit corporations, labor unions, and other associations.