NOMINATING CAMPAIGNS

Objectives:• Describe the role of campaign strategy in winning a nomination to

elective office

Bell Ringer:Sidney Blumenthal called the American electoral process “the

permanent campaign.” In your own words, please explain what he meant by this.

Agenda:Nomination processCampaign advertising

Homework: Chapter 8 Overview

NOMINATING CAMPAIGNSObjectives:• Describe the role of campaign strategy in winning a nomination to elective

office• Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of presidential campaign

advertisements

Bell Ringer:You Be the Policymaker: National and Regional Presidential Primary

Proposals

Agenda:Nomination processCampaign advertising

Homework: Chapter 8 Overview Chapter 8 Reading Quiz next class “A Killer Question” reading and

handout due 12/8 (A) and 12/9 (B)

The Nomination GameNomination

The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party

Generally, success requires momentum, money, and media attention.

Campaign StrategyThe master game plan

candidates lay out to guide their electoral campaign George W. and Laura Bush at the 2000

Republican Convention

The Nomination GameDeciding to Run

Campaigns are more physically and emotionally taxing than ever.

American campaigns are much longer.Barack Obama made clear

his intention to run for POTUS in January 2007.

Other countries have short campaigns, most less than two months.

The Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates

Elimination contestGoal is to win a majority of

delegates’ support at the national party convention, or the supreme power within each of the partiesConvention every four years to

nominate the party’s POTUS and VP candidates.

Conventions are but a formality today.

The Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates

The Caucus RoadCaucus: meetings of state party leaders to select delegates

to the national conventionOrganized like a pyramid from local precincts to the state’s

conventionA handful of states use a caucus—open to all voters who are

registered with a partyThe Iowa caucus is first and most important.

The Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates

The Primary RoadPrimary: elections in which voters in a state vote for

a nominee (or delegates pledged to the nominee) Began at turn of 20th century by progressive reformers McGovern-Fraser Commission led to selection of

delegates through primary elections Most delegates are chosen through primaries. Superdelegates: democratic leaders who automatically

get a delegate slotFrontloading is the tendency of states to hold

primaries early to capitalize on media attention. New Hampshire is first.

Generally primaries serve as elimination contests.

The Nomination GameCompeting for Delegates

Evaluating the Primary and Caucus SystemDisproportionate attention to early onesProminent politicians do not run.Money plays too big a role.Low participation in primaries and caucuses; 20 percent

vote in primaries.The system gives too much power to the media.

The Nomination GameSuggested modifications to the caucus and primary system:

•National primaries: a nationwide primary held early in the election year.

•Regional primaries: a series of primaries held in each geographic region.

The Nomination Game

The Nomination GameThe Convention Send-off

National conventions once provided great drama, but now are a formality, which means less TV time.

Significant rallying point for partiesKey note speaker on first day of ConventionParty platform: statement of a party’s

goals/policies for next four yearsDebated on the second day of the Convention

Formal nomination of POTUS & VP candidates on 3rd & 4th days

The Nomination Game

NOMINATING CAMPAIGNSObjectives:• Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of presidential campaign

advertisements• Examine the growth of PACs and their impact on modern campaigning• Assess the crucial role of money in American campaign organizations

Bell Ringer:Last class you watched a number of presidential campaign

commercials. Which ad did you find to be the most effective? Which was the most

ineffective? For each describe the ad, the advertising methods/tactics, and talk about

why the ad did or did not work.

Agenda:Campaign advertisingCampaign finance

Homework: A Killer Question: article and questions Campaign Finance Reform/527 article Test on Thursday, March 8th

The Campaign GameThe High-Tech Media Campaign

Direct mail used to generate support and money for the candidate

Get media attention through ad budget and “free” coverage

Emphasis on “marketing” a candidateNews stories focus more on the “horse

race” than substantive policy issues

The Campaign GameOrganizing the Campaign

Get a campaign managerGet a fund-raiser and campaign counselHire media and campaign consultantsAssemble staff and plan logisticsGet research staff, policy advisors, and

pollstersGet a good press secretaryEstablish a website

The Campaign Game

Money and CampaigningThe Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms

Federal Election Campaign Act (1974)Created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to

administer campaign finance laws for federal electionsCreated the Presidential Election Campaign FundProvided partial public financing for presidential primaries

Matching funds: Contributions of up to $250 are matched for candidates who meet conditions, such as limiting spending.

Provided full public financing for major party candidates in the general election

Required full disclosure and limited contributions

Money and CampaigningThe Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms

Soft Money: political contributions (not subject to contribution limits) earmarked for party-building expenses or generic party advertising

The McCain-Feingold Act (2002) banned soft money, increased amount of individual contributions, and limited “issue ads.”

527s: independent groups that seek to influence political process but are not subject to contribution restricts because they do not directly seek election of particular candidates

Money and CampaigningThe Proliferation of PACs

Political Action Committees (PACs): created by law in 1974 to allow corporations, labor unions and other interest groups to donate money to campaigns; PACs are registered with and monitored by the FEC.

As of 2006 there were 4,217 PACs.PACs contributed over $372.1 million to

congressional candidates in 2006.PACs donate to candidates who support their issue.PACs do not “buy” candidates, but give to

candidates who support them in the first place.

Money and Campaigning

Money and CampaigningAre Campaigns Too Expensive?

Fundraising takes a lot of time.Incumbents do worse when they spend more

money because they need to spend to defeat quality challengers.

The doctrine of sufficiency suggests that candidates need just “enough” money to win, not necessarily “more.”

The Impact of CampaignsCampaigns have three

effects on voters:Reinforcement,

Activation, ConversionSeveral factors weaken

campaigns’ impact on voters:Selective perception: pay

most attention to things we agree with

Party identification still influence voting behavior

Incumbents begin with sizeable advantage

Understanding Nominationsand CampaignsAre Nominations and Campaigns Too

Democratic?Campaigns are open to almost everyone.Campaigns consume much time and money.Campaigns promote individualism in American

politics.Do Big Campaigns Lead to an Increased

Scope of Government?Candidates make numerous promises,

especially to state and local interests.Hard for politicians to promise to cut size of

government

SummaryCampaigns are media-oriented and

expensive.Delegates are selected through

caucuses and primaries.Money and contributions from PACs

regulated by the FEC are essential to campaigns.

Campaigns reinforce perceptions but do not change minds.