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Chapter 14 The Campaign Process. . To Accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, and Texas Editions American Government: Roots and Reform , 10th edition Karen O’Connor and Larry J. Sabato Pearson Education, 2009. Nature of Modern Campaigns.
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Chapter 14The Campaign Process To Accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, and Texas Editions American Government: Roots and Reform, 10th edition Karen O’Connor and Larry J. Sabato Pearson Education, 2009
Nature of Modern Campaigns • Most electoral contests are similar in a number of ways. • Nomination campaign aimed at winning primary. • General election campaign aimed at winning final race.
Candidate and Staff • Candidates run for a number of reasons. • Volunteers focus on canvassing and get out the vote. • Personal staff led by campaign manager. • Also have finance chair, pollster, Internet team. • Communications director, direct mailer, press secretary. • Campaign and media consultants may be hired.
The Role of the Media • Media can be paid or free; new media blur the line. • Paid media usually takes the form of spot ads. • It is well controlled by the campaign. • Ads may be negative, positive, contrast, or inoculation. • Free media is usually news coverage. • It is difficult for the campaign to control. • New media include Internet, e-mail, phone messages.
Strategies to Control the Media • Isolating the candidate from the media. • Holding staged media events. • Using spin. • Appearing on talk shows or in candidate debates.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act • Passed in 2002 to update FECA of 1973. • Outlaws use of soft money. Party can’t give unlimited money know. • Limits individual and political action committee funds. • Political parties become larger players. • Allows donations from “leadership PACs.” • Does not regulate use of personal money. • Regulates the use of public and matching funds.
The 527 Loophole • Advocacy may only be paid for with hard money. • Soft money is banned under BCRA. • 527 political committees emerge to fill void. • Cannot advocate for candidates, only causes and policy. • 501(c)3 committees also can educate voters.
527s • 527s and other hard-to-track organizations with millions to spend on the 2010 and 2012 elections. They use a tax code exemption. • These groups represent a variety of positions on a variety of issues, but they have one thing in common: they influence how you look at the candidates. • they will try to shape your opinion of a political candidate or party in the context of a specific issue.
Soft Money • Virtually unregulated money/unlimited funneled by individuals and political committees through state and local parties. • Indirect way to get money! • Dole’s doggie--- even dog donated money. • PAC-- federally mandated, officially registered fund-raising committee that represents interest groups in the political process.
Super PACs are a new kind of political action committee created in July 2010 following the outcome of a federal court case known as SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission. • Technically known as independent expenditure-only committees, Super PACs may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations and individuals, then spend unlimited sums to overtly advocate for or against political candidates. Super PACs must, however, report their donors to the Federal Election Commission on a monthly or quarterly basis -- the Super PAC's choice -- as a traditional PAC would. Unlike traditional PACs, Super PACs are prohibited from donating money directly to political candidates.
2008 Presidential Election • Party nomination battles were long and contentious. • Conventions held in Denver and St. Paul. • Democrats nominate Barack Obama and Joe Biden. • Republicans nominate John McCain and Sarah Palin. • Election was close until the final weeks. • Three presidential and one vice-presidential debates. • Obama eventually won the popular vote, 53-46.
Election Analysis • Obama made gains in South and West. • Voter turnout was as high as it had been since 1964. • Obama’s choice not to use public financing helped him. • African Americans and women were keys for Obama.
AV- 527 Groups Back
