Unit 3 - Chapter 9.1-9.4 Flashcards
nomination
a party’s official endorsement of a candidate for office
campaign strategy
the master game plan a candidate lays out to raise money, garner media attention, and win supporters in a campaign for political office
the main goal of the presidential nomination game is to ___.
win the support of a majority of delegates at your convention to get nomination (question I missed on the quiz)
national party convention
the supreme power within each of the parties, which functions to formally select presidential and vice presidential candidates and to write the party platform
McGovern-Fraser Commission
formed in 1968 in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation, started delegate state primaries people can vote in for Democrats (Republicans quickly followed)
superdelegates
Democratic party only, people who are awarded automatic slots as delegates based on the office they currently hold, used to be able to overturn people’s candidate but hold much less power now
invisible primary
the wooing of support from major elected officials, top fundraisers, and skilled political aides, often behind the scenes
caucus
for both parties, voters show up at a fixed time and attend an open meeting lasting 1-2 hours to express their presidential preference (less ppl show bc of time commitment, so are more left/right leaning)
presidential primaries
state’s voters go to express their preference for a party’s nominee for president, states’ delegates vote at electoral college based on this
frontloading
recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention (like New Hampshire)
complaints against US style of campaigning (5 things)
too much attention goes to early primaries, cost way too much money, primary participation isn’t representative, hard to take time off to campaign, media plays too big a role
party platform
the party’s statement of its goals and policies for the next four years at the party’s national convention (also event where pres. nominee is announced)
direct mail
information and requests for money addressed specifically to huge lists of people who have supported candidates with similar views in the past
the main budget for a campaign is used for __.
advertising/commercials
campaign contributions
donations made directly to a candidate or party that must be reported to the Federal Election Commission
independent expenditures
expenses on behalf of a political message that are made by groups that are uncoordinated with any candidate’s campaign (but not really)
Federal Election Campaign Act
made campaign finance an open book for public scrutiny, candidates must disclose who gave them money, ho much, and how funds are being spent (also limits how much people can donate/election)
political action committees (PACs)
groups that can channel contributions to candidates
Federal Election Commission
established by the FEC act, bipartisan committee that administers and enforces campaign finance laws
soft money
money raised for party-building expenses for generic party advertising, used as loophole to donate for candidates for a time
McCutheon v. FEC
overturned restriction on how much individuals can donate to a campaign, allows joint fundraising committees where candidates can split amount raised
Buckley v. Valeo
Supreme Court struck down limits to how much someone can donate to their own campaign
527 groups
way to make unlimited contributions to campaign, independent political groups that aren’t subject to contribution restrictions bc they don’t directly promote election of one candidate (usually imply)
NOW OBSOLETE
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
landmark case that ruled individuals, unions, and corporations can donated unlimited amounts to groups that don’t coordinate their message with any candidate’s campaign
501(c) groups
groups that are exempted from reporting their campaign contributions and can receive unlimited contributions (not in FEC’s jurisdiction)
super PACS
now more common than PACs, have unlimited donation caps, can support a specific candidate but must report to FEC and can’t coordinate w/candidate
selective perception
the phenomenon that people’s beliefs often guide what they pay the most attention to and how they interpret events
campaigns have three effects on voters:
reinforce voter’s preferences, activate voters (get them to volunteer or donate), or convert people to change their minds about a candidate (least common)
the more money a candidate spends on their campaign ___.
the less likely they are to win beyond a certain threshold
4 steps to becoming president
surface/build base, get nominated, be the official nomination at party convention, win
3 types of primary
open (don’t have to declare ahead of time which party a citizen votes for), closed (have to say ahead of time which party), blanket (split ticket primary, includes both parties)
free media
media consultants devise things candidate can do that’s newsworthy but good press, coverage comes from media
hard money
limits/regulated spending in campaigns (limited voter/company donations)
bipartisan campaign reform act (Aka McCain-Feingold Act)
Banned soft money, updates Hard Money limits based on inflation every 2 years, limits Issue Ads (can run ad for candidate 60 days out from general election if you aren’t the candidate itself)
inoculation ads
Ads quickly made to refute points in attack ads
incumbency advantage
People running for reelection (more likely to win campaign)
