Govt Ch 9

• money
• media attention
• momentum

master game plan candidates lay out to guide their electoral campaign

Having a strong electoral base

supreme power within the party works to selec presidential and vice presidential candidates and write a party platform

• caucus
• primary

voters in a state go tothe polls and vote for a candidate or delegates pledged to that candidate

commission formed at 1968 Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation

politicians awarded convention seats on the basis of their position as party officeholders and officials

recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention

Iowa and New Hampshire

• disproportionate attention to early primaries/caucuses
• money plays too big a role
• system gives too much power to media

• National Primary
• Regional Primaries

a proposal that would replace caucuses and primaries with a national primary held early in the election year

a proposal that would replace caucuses and primaries with a series of primaries hld in each geographic region

party's statement of its goals and policies for the nex 4 years; formal statement of party beliefs

candidates allocate their scarce resources of time, money, and energy to achieve political objectives

method of raising money for a political cause/candidate by sending info and requests for money to people whose names appear on lists of those who have supported similar views or candidates in the past

• use of advertising budget
• "free" attention as newsmakers

created the Federal Election Commission, provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections, limited presidential campaign spending, required disclosure, and attempted to limit contributions

• tighten reporting requirements for contributions
• limit overall expenditures

Supreme Court struck down as a violation of free speech the portion of the FEC act that limited the amount individuals could contribute to their own campaigns

political contributions earmarked for party-building expenses at the grassroots level or for generic party advertising - not subject to limits

funding vehicles formed through a corporation, union or interest group

symbiotic

the idea that enough money must be spent to get a message across effectively, but outspending the opponen is not always necessary

• reinforcement
• activation
• conversion

• selective perception of people
• people continue to identify with parties
• incumbents start with name recognition and a track record

phenomenon that people often pay attention most to things they already agree with and interpret according to their own predispositions