Factors affecting election outcome

Question 1

what are the 4 factors that affect outcome of elections?

Answer 1

money, policies, personality, interest groups

Question 2

what is the key factor for a successful campaign?

Answer 2

money

Question 3

since what year has the presidential candidate with most money won?

Answer 3

since 1960 (apart from 2 occasions)

Question 4

in 2012 house races, what % of winners had the bigger war chest?

Answer 4

95%

Question 5

how much time does the average house member spend on campaigning?

Answer 5

20-30%

Question 6

in the 2018 mid-terms, how much did the average senate seat cost?

Answer 6

£25m

Question 7

what is 85% of campaign finance spent on?

Answer 7

advertising

Question 8

what is money spent on? (3 things)

Answer 8

organisation, campaigning and media

Question 9

how does money affect organisation?

Answer 9

more staff across country to drum up support

Question 10

how does money affect campaigning?

Answer 10

able to travel to more states

Question 11

what are the two types of ads?

Answer 11

positive ads and attack ads

Question 12

what did trump do in the last few days of the 2016 election?

Answer 12

• trump spent on social media negative ads in states Clinton was expected to win
• e.g. Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan
• trump won all five

Question 13

why has campaign sending increased massively since 2010?

Answer 13

• citizens united v FEC (2010)

- can’t limit donations on campaign finance

Question 14

what was the other SC finance case in 2014?

Answer 14

• McCutcheon v FEC

- no limits on donations from individuals

Question 15

what was significant about the money in the 2016 election?

Answer 15

first $2bn election

Question 16

how do policies affect campaign success?

Answer 16

• drive campaign forward

- help to unite campaign

Question 17

what are signature policies used for?

Answer 17

to reflect the campaign

Question 18

what were the key policies of trump’s campaign?

Answer 18

build wall, deport illegals and abolish Obamacare

Question 19

how do key policies help voters?

Answer 19

allows voters to recognise campaign and see what candidates stand for

Question 20

what are often used to underline the campaign?

Answer 20

repeated key messages e.g. Make America Great again

Question 21

what can repeated messages also be used for?

Answer 21

generate funds for campaign e.g. Trump sold MAGA caps, t-shirts etc..

Question 22

why do lack of core messages/signature policies harm campaigns?

Answer 22

lack of identity

Question 23

what was the vague message of Clinton?

Answer 23

‘stronger together’

Question 24

how is experience an important factor?

Answer 24

-knowledge of political system and links on Capital Hill will help candidates get key support

Question 25

how does the skill of oratory help candidates?

Answer 25

• vital skill of best candidates
• allows them to persuade and inspire votes in believing in their campaign
• e.g. Obama had skill of oratory

Question 26

how does authenticity help candidates?

Answer 26

• trait trump that attracted many voters was his authenticity
• said what he thought - not a true politician

Question 27

what promise did Trump make about DC?

Answer 27

“drain the swamp” - removing corruption

Question 28

how was Hilton viewed by many?

Answer 28

• seen as corrupt
• many believed she and her husband had used office to enrich themselves
• untrustworthy

Question 29

what technique do the NRA use?

Answer 29

grading system

Question 30

what is the ‘grading system’?

Answer 30

• used for politicians and would be politicians
• operates at state+federal level + primaries + electoral college
• grade candidates according to whether they support NRA policies

Question 31

give examples of 2 NRA grades for Senators?

Answer 31

Ted Cruz = A

Amy Kloubachar = F

Question 32

how the ‘grading system’ influence elections?

Answer 32

• informs people upon who to vote for
• due to power and wealth of NRA can canvass these ratings everywhere
• via use of media and micro-targeting

Question 33

in 2018, how much did gun control groups spend? were they successful?

Answer 33

• spent $11m

- won in 5/6 top spending house races

Question 34

what are PACs?

Answer 34

groups organised to get certain candidates to win

Question 35

when were super PACs formed?

Answer 35

after 2010 citizens united

Question 36

what are super PACs?

Answer 36

groups that make no direct contributors to campaigns of candidates, but make independent expenditures of their money to support their causes

Question 37

how much did Clinton receive from Super PACs in 2016?

Answer 37

$204m