Elections

Question 1

How much did Trump and Clinton spend respectively on their campaigns?

Answer 1

Clinton: $565million
Trump: $322million

Question 2

How much did the 2008 presidential candidates spend on their campaigns?

Answer 2

Obama: $730million
McCain: $333million

Question 3

What statistic set a new record?

Answer 3

Approximately 80 million watched the presidential debates.

Question 4

Give the example for lack of funding in the invisible primary stage.

Answer 4

In 2012 Buddy Roemer had to pull out of the race during the invisible primary because he’d only raised $340,000

Question 5

What was the turnout in the 2016 presidential election?

Answer 5

58%

Question 6

What is the breakdown of the popular vote in 2016?

Answer 6

Trump: 45%
Clinton: 48%

Question 7

What is the breakdown of the electoral college in 2016?

Answer 7

Trump: 56%
Clinton: 42%

Question 8

How many more votes did Clinton win in 2016?

Answer 8

2.9 million

Question 9

How many times did presidential candidates visit Iowa during the 2012 invisible primary?

Answer 9

771

Question 10

How many times did presidential candidates visit Mississippi during the 2012 invisible primary?

Answer 10

20

Question 11

Who could we consider as the Republican Party’s favourite for the presidential nomination in 2016?

Answer 11

Jeb Bush, ex-floridian governor

Question 12

What was voter turnout in the primaries?

Answer 12

29%

Question 13

Who didn’t get enough public support in the 2016 invisible primary and in what way?

Answer 13

Bobby Jindal - his popularity ratings dipped below 1%

Question 14

What are the three FORMAL funtions of the national party conventions?

Answer 14

• choosing the party’s presidential candidates
• choosing the party’s vice-presidential candidates
• deciding on the party plaform

Question 15

What are the three INFORMAL funtions of the national party conventions?

Answer 15

• promoting party unity
• enthusing the party faithful
• enthusing the ordinary voters

Question 16

How were divisions ironed out in the 2008 democrat national party convention?

Answer 16

The bitter personal rival between Obama and Hillary Clinton was settled and Clinton declared herself “a proud supporter of Barack Obama”

Question 17

How did the Republican party fail to unite at their 2016 national part convention?

Answer 17

Ted Cruz didn’t endorse Trump in his speech and he was booed off the stage by Trump supporters.

Question 18

What is the statistic on the importance of the NPCs?

Answer 18

71% said national party conventions were a less important factor in deciding who to vote for president in November.

Question 19

Give the details of Obama’s campaign advertising in 2008.

Answer 19

$5million was spent on a 30 second Obama advert during the 2008 superbowl

Question 20

Which Supreme Court ruling (and when) allowed super PACs?

Answer 20

2010: Citizens United v FEC

Question 21

What is a majority in the electoral college?

Answer 21

270 electoral votes

Question 22

How many people per electoral college vote are there in California vs Wyoming?

Answer 22

California = 675,000 per electoral vote
Wyoming = 190,000 per electoral vote

Question 23

What are the four main swing states?

Answer 23

Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania and Virginia

Question 24

What happened in 2000 with congressional elections?

Answer 24

98% of incumbents were re-elected in 2000

Question 25

How have mid-term elections been a check on the president?

Answer 25

Clinton adopted a more moderate political position after the set back of the 1994 mid-term elections

Question 26

Approximately what is the average turnout in mid-terms?

Answer 26

40%

Question 27

In what ways did mid-terms threaten Obama and what did he do?

Answer 27

He was threatened by a change to the majority in the 2010 mid-terms so he tried to push Obamacare through Congress in March 2010 beforehand.