Table Of ContentPA R T I E S
AND
E L E C T I O N S
A M E R I C A
IN
THE ELECTORAL PROCESS
NINTH EDITION
MARK D. BREWER AND L. SANDY MAISEL
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham • Boulder • New York • London
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Names: Brewer, Mark D., author. | Maisel, Louis Sandy, 1945– author.
Title: Parties and elections in America : the electoral process / Mark D. Brewer, L. Sandy
Maisel.
Description: Ninth edition. | Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, 2020. | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019059484 (print) | LCCN 2019059485 (ebook) | ISBN 9781538136058
(cloth) | ISBN 9781538136065 (paperback) | ISBN 9781538136072 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Elections—United States. | Political campaigns—United States. | Political
parties—United States.
Classification: LCC JK1965 .M35 2020 (print) | LCC JK1965 (ebook) |
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LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019059484
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019059485
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Brief Contents
List of Figures and Tables ix
About the Authors xii
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xviii
1 Elections and Political Parties 1
2 American Political Parties and Party Organization 21
3 Voting and Other Forms of Political Participation 63
4 Organized Groups in the Political Process 105
5 Campaign Finance 131
6 State and Local Nominations 175
7 State and Local Elections 198
8 Presidential Nominations 239
9 Presidential Elections 281
10 The Media and the Electoral Process 321
11 Party in Government 354
12 The Role of Political Parties 391
Glossary G-1
References R-1
Credits C-1
Index I-1
iii
Contents
List of Figures and Tables ix
About the Authors xii
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xviii
1 Elections and Political Parties 1
An Examination of Elections in the United States 3
The Role of Elections in Democratic Theory 9
Modes of Elections 9
Implications for Representation 10
Definitions of “Political Party” and “Party Systems” 12
Conclusion 16
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 19
2 American Political Parties and Party Organization 21
The Development of American Political Parties 22
The First Party System 23
The Second Party System 28
The Third Party System 34
The Fourth Party System 38
The Fifth Party System 41
A Sixth Party System—Yes, But Defined How? 42
The Modern Party Organization 48
Local and County Organizations 48
State Party Organizations 51
Party Organization at the National Level 53
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 60
iv
Contents v
3 Voting and Other Forms of Political Participation 63
Who Votes; Who Doesn’t 65
Expansion of the Franchise 65
Decline in Voter Participation 74
Voters in Presidential Elections 81
Models of Voting Behavior: The American Voter 82
Critics of the American Voter Model 85
Presidential Voting Reviewed 91
Voters in Congressional, Senatorial, and State and
Local Elections 93
Voting Behavior Theory Revisited 97
Voting in the Real World 99
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 103
4 Organized Groups in the Political Process 105
Organized Groups in American Politics 108
Political and Nonpolitical Associations 108
Politically Active Groups 110
Electoral Activities of Organized Groups 116
Working within the Party 117
Group Ratings 119
Political Action Committees 120
Interest Groups’ Influence on their Members 125
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 129
5 Campaign Finance 131
The Long History of Campaign Finance Reform 133
The Climate for Reform 135
The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 and Efforts at
Amendment 136
Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976) and Its Impact 137
The Seven-Year Battle for McCain-Feingold and Its Demise 139
The Costs of Democracy and Who Pays for It 143
The Costs 143
Sources of Campaign Funds 148
Campaign Finance in a Post–Citizens United and
Post-McCutcheon World 171
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 172
6 State and Local Nominations 175
Political Context and Politicians’ Decisions to Run 176
Development of the Direct Primary System 178
Primaries as a Response to One-Party Domination 179
Primaries as an Item on the Progressive Agenda 179
Varieties of Primaries 180
Who May Run 180
Who May Vote 185
Who Wins 188
vi Contents
The Politics of Nominations 191
Uncontested Nominations 191
Contested Nominations 192
Conclusion 195
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 196
7 State and Local Elections 198
The Conventional Wisdom: Old versus New Politics 200
The New Politics: Campaigning in a Media Age 201
Redistricting and Reapportionment 201
The Role of Political Parties 206
The Role of Organized Groups 208
Media Politics 208
The Candidate’s Personal Organization 211
The Structure of a Modern Campaign 213
Old-Style Politics: A More Prominent Role for Parties 219
Reexamination of the Role of Political Parties 220
Local Campaigns in the Absence of Party 221
Do Campaigns Determine Who Wins Elections? 221
Lack of Competition in American Elections 222
Incumbent Advantage in US House and State Legislative
Races 222
Competition in US Senate and Gubernatorial Races 224
Credible Competition in American Elections 225
Third Parties in State and Local Elections 228
Conclusion 231
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 236
8 Presidential Nominations 239
The Post-1968 Reforms 240
The McGovern-Fraser Commission 241
The 1972 Nomination 243
The Reform Movement: An Assessment 246
Twenty-First-Century Presidential Nominations 248
Strategic Considerations in the Contests for Nominations 254
The Political Calendar 255
The Rules of the Game 259
Strategic Use of Campaign Resources 263
Evaluating Nominating Campaigns 270
The Conventions 271
Credentials Challenges 272
Rules Disputes 272
Party Platforms 273
Vice Presidential Nominations 275
An Evaluation of the Conventions 277
The Presidential Nominating Process as It Stands 278
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 279
Contents vii
9 Presidential Elections 281
From the Convention to the General Election 284
Organizing for the General Election 286
Structuring the Campaign Organization 286
Functions of a Presidential Campaign Organization 290
Setting a Campaign Strategy 296
Strategies for the General Election 297
Geographic Determinations 297
Coalition Strategies 300
Issue Strategies 301
The Strategic Use of Incumbency 306
Tactics for the General Election 308
Tactical Considerations of Where to Go 309
Tactical Considerations of Media Use 309
Tactical Considerations of Image Establishment 311
The Tactics of Presidential Debates 312
Third-Party Candidates in Presidential Elections 313
The All-Consuming Nature of a Presidential Campaign 317
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 319
10 The Media and the Electoral Process 321
The Media in the Contemporary Context 322
Free or Earned Media: Journalists’ Presentations of Candidates
and Campaigns 328
The Varieties of Free Media 328
The Role of the Free/Earned Media 332
The Actual Role That the Media Play 334
An Assessment of the Role of Free Media 341
Paid Media: The Candidate Provides the Message 342
Types of Paid Media 343
Controversies Caused by the Use of Paid Media 345
Impact of Paid Media on Election Campaigns 348
An Uneasy yet Necessary Relationship in Transition 349
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 352
11 Party in Government 354
Theoretical and Historical Context: Is Strong Party Government
Possible in the United States? 364
Measuring Party Strength in Congress 369
Party Organization in Congress: The Leadership Hierarchy in
the House and Senate 372
House Leadership 373
Senate Leadership 383
The President as Leader of Party in Government 385
Critical Thinking Questions | Key Terms 388
viii Contents
12 The Role of Political Parties 391
The Role of Elections 392
The Context of Federalism 392
Voters, Parties, and Elections 399
The Electronic Revolution: Television and Digital Media 400
The Parties in the Modern Election 403
Parties’ Appeal to the Electorate 405
The Tone of Twenty-First-Century Politics 406
Concluding Remarks 407
Critical Thinking Questions 408
Glossary G-1
References R-1
Credits C-1
Index I-1
Figures and Tables
FIGURES
1.1a Two-Party Competition in the Twentieth and
Twenty-First-Century Presidential Elections 15
1.1b Two-Party Competition in the Twentieth and
Twenty-First-Century Senate 16
1.1c Two-Party Competition in the Twentieth and Twenty-
First-Century House of Representatives 16
2.1 Party Division Prior to Realignment on Slavery Issue 31
2.2 Stress on Party System Caused by Slavery Issue 32
2.3 Party System after Realignment on Slavery 33
3.1 Turnout in Presidential and Midterm Elections, 1948–2018 74
3.2 Voter Turnout by Race, 1964–2018 75
3.3 Voter Turnout by Age, 1964–2018 77
3.4 Voter Turnout by Sex, 1964–2018 78
3.5 Funnel of Causality 83
3.6 Electoral Success of Incumbent Representatives,
1980–2018 95
3.7 Electoral Success of Incumbent Senators, 1980–2018 96
3.8 Electoral Success of Incumbent Governors, 1980–2018 98
3.9 Turnout in Iowa Caucuses, 1968–2016 100
4.1 Nonparty Independent Expenditures in Congressional
Elections, 1978–2018 124
5.1 General Election Spending by Major Party Presidential
Candidates, 1952–2016 144
5.2a Mean House Campaign Expenditure by Party, 1974, 1984,
1990–2016 146
ix
