Chapter 9: Nominations and Campaigns

Question 1

nomination

Answer 1

the official endorsment of a candidiate for office by a political party.

Question 2

three m approch

Answer 2

to win you need money, media, and momentum

Question 3

campaign strategy

Answer 3

the master game plan candidates lay out to give their electoral campaign

Question 4

deciding to run

Answer 4

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

Question 5

caucus

Answer 5

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

Question 6

caucus-history

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Iowa caucus

Answer 7

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

Question 8

presidential primary election

Answer 8

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

Question 9

closed primaries

Answer 9

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

Question 10

open primaries

Answer 10

elections to select party nominees where people can decide on election day whether they want to participate in the democratic or republican parties

Question 11

Republican delegates

Answer 11

the candidates who win state primaries are rewarded all the delegates at the national convention **winner-take-all system

Question 12

Democratic delegates

Answer 12

the candidates are awarded delegates at the convention in proportion to the votes they received *proportional

Question 13

McGovern Fraser Commission

Answer 13

a commission formed in 1968 Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation

Question 14

Superdelegates

Answer 14

national party leaders who automatically get a slot at the democratic national party convention

Question 15

New Hampshire primary

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Frontloading

Answer 16

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

Question 17

national primary

Answer 17

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

Question 18

national convention

Answer 18

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

Question 19

party platform

Answer 19

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

Question 20

High-tech media campaign

Answer 20

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

Question 21

direct mail

Answer 21

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

Question 22

organizing and campaigning

Answer 22

• 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

Question 23

Federal election campaign act

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

federal election commission

Answer 24

A six member, bipartisan agency created by the FECA of 1974, it administers and enforces the campaign finance laws.

Question 25

Presidential election campaign fund

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

matching funds

Answer 26

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

Question 27

individual contribution limits

Answer 27

limited by the election campaign act and limited to 2,000$ (2,300$ with inflation)

Question 28

hard money

Answer 28

refers to tightly regulated contributions to candidates; regulated by FEC through law

Question 29

soft money

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Buckley v. Valeo

Answer 30

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

Question 31

McCain-Feingold act

Answer 31

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

Question 32

527 groups

Answer 32

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.

Question 33

PACs

Answer 33

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

Question 34

Citizens United v. Federal election commission

Answer 34

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)

Question 35

SuperPACs

Answer 35

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

Question 36

selective perception

Answer 36

The phenomenon that people often pay the most attention to things they already agree with and interpret them according to their own predispositions.

Question 37

compared to other countries

Answer 37

america has longer and more expensive campaigns