Trends In Congressional Elections

Question 1

What is the Coattails effect?

Answer 1

. Is when a strong candidate for a party at the top of their ticket can help other party candidates get elected at the same time.

. E.g. in November of 1980 the Republicans under Reagan gained 33 seats in the house and 12 seats in the Senate, when no fewer than 9 Democrat Senators were defeated.

Question 2

What is Split - Ticket voting?

Answer 2

. Is where someone votes for the candidates of different political parties for different offices at the same election e.g. someone may vote for a Republican President but a Democrat member of Congress.

. In 2012 Nevada voted for Obama for the presidency but re-elected Republican Senator Dean Heller.