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ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD Parties and Elections in America The Electoral Process 2011 Edition by L. Sandy Maisel, Mark D. Brewer
Parties and Elections in America: The Electoral Process covers all elements of parties and the electoral process, including local, state, and national party organizations; American party history and party systems; state and local nominations; state and local elections; presidential nominations; and presidential elections. Separate chapters are devoted to the important subjects of the media in the electoral process and campaign finance. The role of political parties in representative democracy-and their contributions to it-are examined critically. The sixth edition incorporates the results of the 2010 midterm elections. Table of contents :- List of Figures, Tables, and BoxesPrefaceAcknowledgments1. Elections and Political PartiesI. An Examination of Elections in the United StatesII. The Role of Elections in Democratic Theory A. Modes of Elections1. Direct Elections2. Indirect ElectionsB. Implications for Representation1. Representatives' Perspectives2. The Public's Perspective and the Role of Parties in Representation III. Definitions of ''Political Party'' and ''Party Systems'' IV. Politicians View the Party System 2. American Political Parties and Party Organization I. The Development of American Political Parties A. The First Party System 1. The Elections of 1796 and 1800 2. Contributions of the First Party System B. The Second Party System 1. Innovations of the Second Party Period C. The Third Party System D. The Fourth Party System 1. The Era of Reform E. The Fifth Party System F. A Sixth Party System? 1. Realignment of the South 2. The Rise of Cultural Issues 3. The Parties and the Closely Divided American Electorate 4. The Decline and Resurgence of Partisanship II. The Modern Party Organization A. Local and County Organizations B. State Party Organizations 1. The Structure of the State Party 2. The Role of the State Party C. Party Organization at the National Level 1. The National Committees 2. The ''Hill Committees'' 3. The National Parties Respond III. Politicians View Party Organization 3. Voting and Other Forms of Political Participation I. Who Votes; Who Doesn't A. Expansion of the Franchise 1. Property Requirements2. Black Suffrage 3. Women's Suffrage 4. Lowering the Voting Age5. Additional Regulations: Residency and RegistrationB. Decline in Voter Participation1. Voting by Blacks2. Voting by Young Voters3. Voting by Women4. What Distinguishes Voters from Nonvoters?II. Voters in Presidential ElectionsA. Models of Voting Behavior: The American VoterB. Critics of The American Voter Model1. Criticism by V. O. Key Jr. and His Followers2. Criticism from Successors in the Michigan SchoolC. Presidential Voting ReviewedIII. Voters in Congressional and Senatorial ElectionsIV. Voting Behavior Theory RevisitedV. Participation in Politics in AmericaVI. Politicians View Political Participation4. Organized Groups in the Political ProcessI. Organized Groups in American PoliticsA. Political and Nonpolitical AssociationsB. Politically Active Groups 1. Economic or Noneconomic Interests 2. Multipurpose or Single-Purpose Groups 3. Federal or National Groups II. Electoral Activities of Organized Groups A. Working within the Party B. Group Ratings C. Political Action Committees III. Interest Groups' Influence on Their Members IV. Politicians View Interest Groups 5. Campaign Finance I. The Long History of Campaign Finance ReformA. The Climate for Reform B. The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 and Efforts at AmendmentC. Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976) and Its Impact II. The Seven-Year Battle for McCain-Feingold III. The Costs of Democracy and Who Pays for It A. The Costs B. Sources of Campaign Funds 1. Individual Contributions 2. Political Action Committees 3. Political Parties 4. Soft Money 5. Public Financing IV. Politicians View Campaign Finance Post-BCRA 6. State and Local Nominations I. Political Context and Politicians' Decisions to RunII. Common Views of the Nominating ProcessIII. Development of the Direct Primary SystemA. Primaries as a Response to One-Party DominationB. Primaries as an Item on the Progressive AgendaIV. Varieties Of PrimariesA. Who May Run1. Party Membership and Petition Requirements2. The Role of Parties3. Louisiana: An Exception4. Cross-Filing: Another Exception to Party AllegianceB. Who May Vote1. Closed, Open, and Blanket Primaries2. Theoretical Arguments regarding Primary Voter Eligibility3. Pragmatic Considerations regarding Primary Voter Eligibility4. Strategic Consequences of Different Primary Rules5. Crossover VotingC. Who Wins1. Plurality Rule2. Variations from Plurality Rule: Runoff PrimariesV. The Politics of NominationsA. Uncontested NominationsB. Contested Nominations1. Incumbent Advantage2. Contests without IncumbentsVI. Politicians View the Nominating Process7. State and Local ElectionsI. The Conventional Wisdom: Old versus New PoliticsII. The New Politics: Campaigning in a Media AgeA. The Role of Political PartiesB. The Role of Organized GroupsC. Media PoliticsD. The Candidate's OrganizationE. The Structure of a Modern Campaign1. Public Opinion Polling2. Media Consultants3. Fund-Raisers4. Scheduling and Advance Work, Press Relations, Field Organization, and Liaison to the Political Party and Organized GroupsIII. Old-Style Politics: A More Prominent Role for PartiesA. Reexamination of the Role of Political PartiesB. Local Campaigns in the Absence of PartyIV. Do Campaigns Determine Who Wins Elections?A. Lack of Competition in American Elections B. Incumbent Advantage in U.S. House and State Legislative RacesC. Competition in U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial Races D. Credible Competition in American ElectionsV. Third Parties in State and Local ElectionsVI. Politicians View the General Election8. Presidential NominationsI. The Post-1968 ReformsA. The McGovern-Fraser CommissionB. The 1972 NominationC. Continuing Reform of the ProcessD. The Reform Movement: An AssessmentII. Nominations under the Current SystemA. The 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 NominationsB. The 2008 Nominating ProcessIII. Strategic Considerations in the Contests for NominationsA. The Political Calendar1. The Influence of Iowa and New Hampshire and Front-Loading the System2. Super Tuesday3. Filing Deadlines4. Strategic Implications of the Political CalendarB. The Rules of the Game1. Proportional Representation versus Winner-Take-All Systems2. Superdelegates versus Influential Party LeadersC. Strategic Use of Campaign Resources1. Office2. Money3. The MediaD. Evaluating Nominating CampaignsIV. The ConventionsA. Credentials ChallengesB. Rules DisputesC. Party PlatformsD. Vice Presidential NominationsE. An Evaluation of the ConventionsV. Politicians View the Nominating Process9. Presidential ElectionsI. From the Convention to the General ElectionII. Organizing for the General ElectionA. Structuring the Campaign Organization1. The Campaign Headquarters 2. The National Committee 3. The Mobile Headquarters 4. Division and Integration of Authority Responsibility B. Functions of a Presidential Campaign Organization 1. Grassroots Politics 2. Staffing the Candidate's Plane 3. Staffing the Campaign Headquarters C. Directing the Campaign Organization 1. The Inner Core 2. Expanding the Core 3. Co-opting the Losers D. Setting a Campaign Strategy III. Strategies for the General Election A. Geographic Determinations B. Coalition Strategies C. Issue Strategies 1. Campaign Themes 2. Character as a Campaign Issue 3. The Issues Raised during a Campaign D. The Strategic Use of Incumbency IV. Tactics for the General Election A. Tactical Considerations of Where to Go B. Tactical Considerations of Media Use C. Tactical Considerations of Which Issues to Discuss D. The Tactics of Presidential Debates V. Third-Party Candidates in Presidential Elections VI. Politicians View the Campaigns 10. The Media and the Electoral Process I. The Media in the Contemporary Context II. Free Media: Journalists' Presentations of Candidates and Campaigns A. The Varieties of Free Media B. The Role of the Free Media 1. Informed Consent of the Governed 2. Window on the Candidates 3. Referee between Candidates C. The Actual Role That the Media Play 1. The Great Mentioner 2. Image Creator 3. Expectation Setter 4. Issue Identifier 5. Field Narrower 6. Campaign Critic 7. Documentor of Elections 8. Purveyor of Results D. An Assessment of the Role of Free Media 1. Why Do the Media Play the Roles They Do? 2. How Should We Evaluate That Role? III. Paid Media: The Candidate Provides the Message A. Types of Paid Media B. Controversies Caused by the Use of Paid Media 1. Negative Advertising 2. Issue Advocacy Advertisements C. Impact of Paid Media on Election Campaigns 1. Intended Consequences of Paid Media CampaignsIV. Politicians View the Media11. Party in GovernmentI. Theoretical and Historical Context: Is Strong Party Government Possible in the United States? II. Measuring Party Strength in Congress III. Party Organization in Congress: The Leadership Hierarchy in the House and Senate A. House Leadership1. Democratic Hegemony2. Republican Revolutiona. Gingrich and the 104th Houseb. The Abortive Revolt of 1997c. The End of the Gingrich Speakershipd. The Post-Gingrich Years of GOP Majority Power: Hastert, the ''Hammer,'' and PartyDiscipline 3. The Democrats Bounce Back: The 2006Elections and Beyond4. The Backbone of House Leadership: The Whip SystemsB. Senate LeadershipIV. Institutional Constraints on Strong Party Government: The 2003 Tax Cut Package V. The President as Leader of Party in Government VI. Politicians View Party in Government 12. The Role of Political Parties at the Dawn of the Twenty-first Century I. The Role of Elections A. The Context of Federalism 1. Presidential Elections 2. Congressional Elections 3. State and Local Elections 4. Nonpartisan Politics II. Voters, Parties, and Elections A. The Rise of Television B. The Parties in the Modern Election C. Parties' Appeal to the Electorate D. The Tone of Twenty-first-Century Politics III. Concluding Remarks Notes References Credits Index About the Authorsshow more