APGovCh12.Balraj.Basra Flashcards
501(c) group
Interest groups whose primary purpose is not electoral politics
527 political committee
organizations created with the primary purpose of influencing electoral outcomes; the term is typically applied only to freestanding interest groups that do not explicitly advocate for the election of a candidate.
Barack Obama
The first African American president of the United States, a Democrat, who served as forty-fourth president from 2009 to 2017. Senator from Illinois from 2005 to 2008; member of the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.
Bernie Sanders
Longest serving independent in the United States Congress. Ran against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary; senator from Vermont since 2007; first elected to the House of Representatives in 1991.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)
Passed in 2002, this act amended the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 with several provisions designed to end the use of nonfederal, or “soft money” for activity affecting federal elections.
Campaign consultant
a private- sector professional who sells to a candidate the technologies, services, and strategies required to get that candidate elected.
Campaign manager
the individual who travels with the candidates the campaign.
Citizens United v. FEC
The 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case that enabled corporations and unions have the same political speech rights as individuals under the First Amendment. As part of this ruling, the Supreme Court found that the government may not prohibit corporations or unions from using their general treasury funds to support or denounce political candidates in elections.
Closed primary
a primary election in which only a party’s registered voters are eligible to cast a ballot.
Communication director
The person develops the overall media strategy for the candidate.
Contrast ad
Ad that compares the records and proposals of the candidates, with a bias toward the candidate sponsoring the ad.
Conventional political participation
Activism that attempts to influence the political process through commonly accepted forms of persuasion such as voting or letter writing.
Crossover voting
Participation in the primary election of a party with the voter is not affiliated.
Donald J. Trump
The forty-fifth president, a Republican, elected in 2016; first president elected without prior political or military experience; an experienced businessman.
Elector
Member of Electoral College
Electorate
The citizen eligible to vote.
Electoral College
Representatives of each state who cast the final ballots that actually elect a president.
Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
Passed in 1971, this is the primary law that regulates political campaign spending and fundraising. The law originally focused on increased disclosure of contributions for federal campaign.
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
An independent regulatory agency founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the Campaign finance legislation to the United States.
Finance chair
The individual who coordinates the financial business of the campaign.
Front-loading
The tendency of states to choose an early date on the nomination calendar.