1 Chapter Ten: Campaigning for Office
Learning Objectives 2 Identify the reasons people have for seeking public office. Compare and contrast a primary and a caucus in relation to the party nominating function. Describe the major changes that have occurred in campaigning for public office over the last decade. Explain the use of polls and focus groups by candidates and campaigns.
Learning Objectives 3 Briefly explain the rules on public financing of presidential campaigns. Distinguish between soft money and hard money. Explain how the Campaign Reform Act of 2002 encouraged independent expenditures and issue advocacy ads.
Learning Objectives 4 Explain why campaign finance reform inevitably produces new ways for money to flow to campaigns (e.g., 527 organizations). Evaluate the effects of front-loading on the quality and quantity of candidates voter see on the ballot in their state.
Who Wants to Be a Candidate? 5 There are two categories of individuals who run for office: self-starters those who are recruited by the party. The Nomination Process
Who Wants to Be a Candidate? Who Is Eligible? President: 6 Must be a natural-born citizen At least 35 years old Be a resident of the country for 14 years by the time of inauguration.
Who Wants to Be a Candidate? 7 Who Is Eligible? (Continued) Vice president: Must be a natural-born citizen At least 35 years old Not be a resident of the same state as the candidate for president
Who Wants to Be a Candidate? 8 Who Is Eligible? (Continued) Senator: Must be a citizen for at least 9 years At least 30 years old Be a resident of the state from which elected
Who Wants to Be a Candidate? 9 Who is Eligible? (Continued) Representative: Must be a citizen for at least 7 years At least 25 years old Be a resident of the state from which elected
Who Wants to Be a Candidate? Who Runs? 10 Holders of political office in the United States are overwhelmingly white and male. Women as Candidates: number of women running for office has substantially increased Lawyers as Candidates
The 21 st Century Campaign 11 The Changing Campaign: Before most households had televisions, campaigning was personalized. Campaigns today are often less personal, with voters receiving information through the media. Campaigns have become less party-centered and more candidate-centered.
The 21 st Century Campaign 12 The Professional Campaign Candidates hire: political consultants finance chairperson communications director press secretary
The 21 st Century Campaign 13
The Strategy of Winning 14 Candidate Visibility and Appeal Use of Opinion Polls Focus Groups Financing the Campaign
Financing the Campaign 15 Regulating Campaign Financing Hatch Act (Political Activities Act) of 1939 Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
Interest Groups and Campaign Finance: Reaction to New Rules PACs and Political Campaigns 16 Interest groups can set up PACs to raise funds for candidates. Funds must be raised from at least 50 volunteer donors and must be given to at least five candidates in the federal election. PACs can contribute up to $5,000 to each candidate in each election.
Interest Groups and Campaign Finance: Reaction to New Rules 17
Interest Groups and Campaign Finance: Reaction to New Rules 18 Campaign Financing Beyond the Limits Soft Money Independent Expenditures Issue Advocacy
Interest Groups and Campaign Finance: Reaction to New Rules Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 Bans soft money. 19 Allowed campaign ads by outside special-interest groups up to 60 days before a general election and up to 30 days before a primary election. Increased contribution limit to $2,000 with annual increases. Raised maximum amount individuals can give to $95,000 over a two-year election cycle.
Interest Groups and Campaign Finance: Reaction to New Rules 20 Rise of the 527s 527s are tax exempt interest groups that use soft money contributions: Can be partisan or ideological. Can raise more money than PACs.
Interest Groups and Campaign Finance: Reaction to New Rules 21
Interest Groups and Campaign Finance: Reaction to New Rules 22 Campaign Financing and the 2008 Elections John McCain used public campaign funds for the general election. Barack Obama raised over $630 million in individual donations and did not accept PAC monies. Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
Running for President: The Longest Campaign Primaries: Closed Primary Open Primary Blanket Primary Runoff primary 23 Front-Loading the Primaries
Running for President: The Longest Campaign The National Conventions Seating the Delegates Convention Activities Speeches Committee reports Presidential balloting 24
Running for President: The Longest Campaign The General Election 25 Begins after the national conventions. Candidates plan their campaigns to use media advertising, debates, and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) campaigns. Must constantly plan to win 270 electoral votes to win.
Web Links 26 Federal Election Commission: contains information about current campaign-financing laws and the latest filings of finance reports: www.fec.gov. Center for Responsive Politics: a nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit research group that tracks money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy: www.opensecrets.org. Project Vote Smart: investigates voting records and campaign-financing information: www.votesmart.org.
What If Spending Limits Were Placed on Campaigns? 27 One of the most fundamental questions about campaign financing is the fairness to both candidates and voters of one candidate who raises more money to finance a strong organization and buys more media advertisements than others.
What If Spending Limits Were Placed on Campaigns? 28 Impact of spending limits: Decline in number of wealthy candidates Limits on campaign contributions Reduction in number of lobbyists Decreased revenue for media companies
You Can Make a Difference: Students on the Campaign Trail Students can volunteer for political campaigns at the national, state, and local levels by: helping with fundraising, participating in weekend canvassing, getting people out to vote as election day approaches, working for one of the party organizations, and volunteering for an independent political entity. 29
You Can Make a Difference: Students on the Campaign Trail 30 For further information on volunteering for political campaigns, please contact one of the following organizations: College Democrats of America: www.collegedems.com. College Republican National Committee: www.crnc.org.