Chapter 9: Nominations and Campaigns Flashcards
nomination
the official endorsment of a candidiate for office by a political party.
three m approch
to win you need money, media, and momentum
campaign strategy
the master game plan candidates lay out to give their electoral campaign
deciding to run
the campaigning journey to becoming president is more strenuous than actually being president. They have too take off time from their job and spend lots of money
their lives are analyzed and their families are affected as well
caucus
a meeting for all state party leaders for selecting delegates to the national party convention. open to all registered party voters Usually organized as a pyramid local->county->congressional
->state
caucus-history
state party leaders controlled who went to the caucuses and who the delegates supported and a “party boss” ran the whole thing
ran on patronage or doing favors to earn support
Iowa caucus
traditionally the first caucus held in the US that receives special attention from the media and candidates as the outcome of the caucus can have a great impact on a candidates campaign
presidential primary election
elections in which voters in a state vote for a candidate (or a delegate pledged to that candidate)
the amount increased after the McGovern Fraser Commission (formed in 1968) that formed to respond to minorities who wanted better representation
closed primaries
elections to select party nominees where only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for the party’s candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty
open primaries
elections to select party nominees where people can decide on election day whether they want to participate in the democratic or republican parties
Republican delegates
the candidates who win state primaries are rewarded all the delegates at the national convention **winner-take-all system
Democratic delegates
the candidates are awarded delegates at the convention in proportion to the votes they received *proportional
McGovern Fraser Commission
a commission formed in 1968 Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation
Superdelegates
national party leaders who automatically get a slot at the democratic national party convention
New Hampshire primary
traditionally the first primary held in the US that receives special attention from the media and candidates as the outcome of the primary can have a great impact on a candidates campaign
Frontloading
the recent tenancy of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention. At one time having it late was considered advantageous as is gave you a more decisive role, but lately late states have been irrelevant
national primary
a proposal by critics of the caucus and presidential primary systems that would replace these electoral methods with a nationwide primary held early in the election year
national convention
the supreme power within each of the parties. the convention meets every 4 years to nominate the party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates and write the party platform
party platform
a political party’s statement of its goals and policies for the next four years drafted prior to the convention by a committee whose members are selected in proportion to the strength of each candidate
High-tech media campaign
television is the main way candidates reach voters and mass media plays an important role
a politics in which the behavior of citizens and policy makers and the political agenda itself are increasingly shaped by technology
direct mail
a high-tech method to raise money for a political cause or candidate. it involves sending information and requests for money to people who’s names appear on lists of those how have supported similar views or candidates in the past
organizing and campaigning
- campaign manager
- fundraiser
- campaign counsel/legal assistance
- media and campaign consultants that plan adds and stuff
- campaign staff (coordinate volunteers)
- someone to plan logistics
- research staff to keep up with events
- pollster
- press secretary
- web site
Federal election campaign act
A law passed in 1974 for reforming campaign finances. The act created FEC, provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections (Campaign fund), limited presidential campaign spending, required disclosure, and attempted to limit contributions.
federal election commission
A six member, bipartisan agency created by the FECA of 1974, it administers and enforces the campaign finance laws.
Presidential election campaign fund
Money from the $3 federal income tax check-off goes into this fund, which is then distributed to qualified candidates to subsidize their presidential campaigns.
matching funds
contributions of up to 250 are matched from the presidential election campaign fund to candidates for the presidential nomination who qualify and agree to meet various conditions, such as limiting their overall spending
individual contribution limits
limited by the election campaign act and limited to 2,000$ (2,300$ with inflation)
hard money
refers to tightly regulated contributions to candidates; regulated by FEC through law
soft money
Political contributions earmarked for party-building expenses at the grass-roots level (or for generic party advertising). Unlike money that goes to the campaign of a particular candidate, such party donations are not subject to contribution limits. they are banned by the McCain-Feingold act
Buckley v. Valeo
SCOUTS struck down the portion of the act that limits the amount of money individuals can contribute to their own campaign as a violation of free speech
McCain-Feingold act
banned soft money contributions and prohibited corporations and unions from using their general treasury funds to pay for electioneering communications in the last 60 days of federal elections
527 groups
Independent groups that seek to influence the political process but are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly seek the election of particular candidates. Their name comes from a particular section of the federal tax code, under which they are governed.
PACs
Political action committees
funding vehicles created in the 1974 campaign finance reforms. a corporation, union, or some other interest group can create a political action committee and register it with the FEC who will monitor it closely
Citizens United v. Federal election commission
decided that part of the McCain-Feingold act that prevents corporations and labor unions from spending money on advertisements independent of political candidates or parties is unconstitutional (helps super PACs)
SuperPACs
can raise unlimited funds from corporations, unions, and other groups, as well as individuals, may not coordinate its activities with campaigns, have to tell where they got their money
selective perception
The phenomenon that people often pay the most attention to things they already agree with and interpret them according to their own predispositions.
compared to other countries
america has longer and more expensive campaigns
