1. Nominations and Campaigns
Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy
Thirteenth AP* Edition
Edwards/Wattenberg/Lineberry
Chapter 9
Nominations and Campaigns
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Bellringer 2/23
The specific goal of the presidential nomination game is to
A. win the majority of votes cast in presidential primaries
B. win the majority of votes cast in presidential caucuses
C. win the majority of delegate votes in order to win the party nomination
D. win a majority of votes in the electoral college
E. beat the other party’s candidate in the general election
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The Nomination Game
Campaigns in America can be divided into two stages:
Nominations
Campaigns between the two nominees
Nomination: the official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party
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The Nomination Game
Deciding to Run
Campaigns are more physically and emotionally taxing than ever.
American campaigns are much longer than other countries
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The Nomination Game
Competing for Delegates
Nomination game is an elimination contest
From February to June of election year, state parties choose their delegates through a caucus or primary.
Goal is to win a majority of delegates’ support at the national party convention
Convention meets every four years to nominate the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
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7. The Nomination Game Competing for Delegates
Delegates cast their vote in favor of one candidate at the convention.
The number of delegates and method for selection are determined by the parties.
D: Based on votes given to democratic candidates and electoral votes; proportional share of delegates
R: Number based on congressional districts; state can select to be proportional or winner-take all approach
What are some consequences of a winner take all approach?
Favorite son candidates: supported by delegates of specific state or region but without national support; able to delay decision on who to support

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The Nomination Game
Competing for Delegates
The Caucus Road
Caucus: meetings of state party leaders for selecting delegates to the national convention
Organized like a pyramid from local precincts to the state’s convention
The Iowa caucus is first and most important.
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The Nomination Game
Competing for Delegates
The Primary Road
Primary: elections in which voters in a state vote for a nominee (or delegates pledged to the nominee)
Began at turn of 20th century by progressive reformers
McGovern-Fraser Commission led to selection of delegates through primary elections
Superdelegates: democratic leaders who automatically get a delegate slot; delegate votes are not pledged to the nominee
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The Nomination Game
Competing for Delegates
The Primary Road
Open and Closed Primaries
Blanket primary
Super Tuesday: Tuesday in February or March when the greatest number of states hold primaries.
Frontloading is the tendency of states to hold primaries early to capitalize on media attention.
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The Nomination Game
Competing for Delegates
Evaluating the Primary and Caucus System
Disproportionate attention to early ones
State determine when to hold primary or caucus
Prominent politicians do not run.
Money plays too big a role.
Participation in primaries and caucuses is low and unrepresentative; 30 percent vote in primaries
The system gives too much power to the media.
Different campaign strategy for nomination than election
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The Nomination Game
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The Nomination Game
The Convention Send-off
Important for developing the party’s policy positions and in promoting political representation.
Key note speaker on first day of Convention
Party platform: statement of a party’s goals and policies for next four years
Debated on the second day of the Convention
Formal nomination of president and vice-president candidates on the last days.
RNC 2016
DNC 2016
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The Nomination Game
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The Campaign Game
Once nominated, candidates concentrate on campaigning for the general election.
Campaign Strategy: the master game plan candidates lay out to guide their electoral campaign
Candidates allocate their scarce resources of time, money, and energy to achieve their political objectives.
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The Campaign Game
The High-Tech Media Campaign
Direct mail used to generate support and money for the candidate
Get media attention through ad budget and “free” coverage
Emphasis on “marketing” a candidate
News stories focus more on the “horse race” than substantive policy issues
Clip
Reply
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The Campaign Game
Organizing the Campaign
Get a campaign manager
Get a fund-raiser and campaign counsel
Hire media and campaign consultants
Assemble staff and plan logistics
Get research staff, policy advisors, and pollsters
Get a good press secretary
Establish a website
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22. Class Work
Your group will create an informative poster for a potential nominee.
The information to be included is:
Logo
Basic demographics (age, education, previous employment)
Their website
How much money they raised
At least 5 main policy viewpoints
2 recent news headlines in support of their candidacy
Social media accounts

23. Bellringer 2/27
In the 1976 case of Buckley v. Valeo, the Supreme Court ruled that
A. the limitation of money persons could contributed to their own election campaigns violated free speech and was unconstitutional.
B. presidential election campaigns could not be paid for by tax dollars
C. the forced disclosure of contributions to federal elections violated freedom of association and was therefore unconstitutional
D. the limitation on the amount of money people could contribute to their own election campaign was not a violation of free speech, and was constitutional
E. Congressional and state legislative districts must be of equal population and reapportioned every ten years

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Money and Campaigning
Running a campaign is expensive.
Where does this money come from?
Raise Money
How is it spent?
Campaign Spending
How is it regulated?
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25. Bellringer 2/28 Soft money is
A. money donated by a person to his or her own campaign
B. cash contributions that are not traceable and in some situations illegal
C. small donations that, while important to a campaign, are not as important as larger contributions
D. money loaned to a campaign, but expected to be paid back
E. money donated to parties rather than candidates, thus not subject to contribution or spending limits

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Money and Campaigning
The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
Two main methods: private and public financing
Public - Presidential Election Campaign Fund
Public financing for primaries and general election
Paid for by three dollar checkoff on income tax forms
Private – private individuals and groups
The large bulk of money is spent on advertising.
Momentum for campaign finance reform developed in the early 1970s
Illegal campaign contributions
Growth of television
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27. Money and Campaigning The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
Federal Election Campaign Act (1974): goals were to tighten reporting requirements and limit expenditures
Created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to administer campaign finance laws for federal elections
Created the Presidential Election Campaign Fund
Provided financing for conventions
Limited contributions to candidates
Required disclosure of contributors
Limited expenditures by candidates
Limited expenditures by candidates from personal funds
Limited independent expenditures

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Money and Campaigning
The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
FECA challenged in Buckley v. Valeo (1976).
Buckley v. Valeo: spending money to influence elections is a form of constitutionally protected free speech
Upheld contribution limits and disclosure provisions but limited the scope
Struck down expenditure limits for candidates from own resources, total expenditure limits, and limits on independent expenditures
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29. Money and Campaigning The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
Created a loop hole for soft money
Soft money: money given to parties but not to a particular candidate
Soft money enabled parties and candidates to circumvent the FECA’s limits on campaign contributions.
Money earmarked for party-building expenses or generic party advertising is not subject to limits.
Corporations, unions, PACS and individuals can contribute soft money to political parties for "mixed-purpose" activities.
Money contributed directly to a candidate is hard money and can only come from individuals and PACs and is subject to federal regulations.
Corporations and Unions not donate directly

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Money and Campaigning
Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
Political Action Committees (PACs): created by law to allow corporations, labor unions and other interest groups to donate money to campaigns.
PACs are registered with and monitored by the FEC.
PACs do not “buy” candidates, but give to candidates who support them in the first place
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Money and Campaigning
Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
527s: Tax-exempt group that raises money to support political activities
Are not subject to FEC limits because do not directly seek election of a particular candidate but must disclose donors
Kerry Ad
501(c)(4): tax-exempt non-profit organizations that may engage in political activities as long as politics is not the group’s primary purpose; may raise and spend an unlimited amount of money and not required to disclose donors.
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33. Money and Campaigning The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
The McCain-Feingold Act (2002) was designed to regulate the use of soft money and issue ads.
Ban on soft money contributions to parties
Prohibited corporations and labor organizations from financing electioneering communications
Restrictions on parties use of fund for issue ads
Increased amount individuals contributions and indexed it ($1000 to $2000).
McConnell v. FEC (2003)
Up held most of the provisions of the BCRA
Dealing mostly with soft-money contributions that were used to register voters and increase attendance at the polls, not with campaign expenditures the restriction on free speech was minimal.

34. Money and Campaigning The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
Citizens United v. FEC: struck down campaign financing laws related to corporations and unions
Government cannot restrict the spending by non-profits, corporations, and unions on independent expenditures
Dismantled the BCRA which banned soft money and issue ads
Article
Speechnow.org v. FEC created “independent expenditure only” groups (superPACS)
Held an organization formed to accept contributions and make independent expenditures must register as a PAC. Second, such an IE-only committee is entitled to accept unlimited contributions from individuals.
When coupled with Citizens United, however, the case by implication also suggested that corporations and unions may contribute unlimited amounts to Independent Expenditure only PACs
SuperPAC
501(c)(4)

35. Money and Campaigning The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms
McCutchon v. FEC: case invalidated aggregate contributions as limiting the First Amendment.
BCRA placed an aggregate limit on how much money an individual may donate in a two-year election cycle
For :$46,2 00 for federal candidates and $70,800 for national parties, or $117,000 aggregate limit
Challenged by an Alabama businessman that had donated to 16 federal candidates and intended to donate to 12 more during the campaign cycle, but he exceeded the aggregate limit.
Supreme Court held the aggregate limit to be unconstitutional

36. The Impact of Campaigns
Campaigns have three effects on voters:
Reinforcement, Activation, Conversion
Several factors weaken campaigns’ impact on voters:
Selective perception: pay most attention to things we agree with
Party identification still influence voting behavior
Incumbents begin with sizeable advantage
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37. Understanding Nominations and Campaigns
Are Nominations and Campaigns Too Democratic?
Campaigns are open to almost everyone.
Campaigns consume much time and money.
Campaigns promote individualism in American politics.
Do Big Campaigns Lead to an Increased Scope of Government?
Candidates make numerous promises, especially to state and local interests.
Hard for politicians to promise to cut size of government
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Summary
Campaigns are media-oriented and expensive.
Delegates are selected through caucuses and primaries.
Money and contributions from PACs regulated by the FEC are essential to campaigns.
Campaigns reinforce perceptions but do not change minds.
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