LECTURE 7

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Political Science 200

David Tabb

I.  Structural Factors

a.Political transformation and the "6th Party System"--
b.Demographic revolution and electoral coalitions
c.Permanent Campaign a result of political stalemate,

e.g. impeachment as an electoral issue

II.  Primary Process

a.primaries and caucuses. Who votes and who chooses?

In 1996 73% of Democratic delegates and 85 % of Republican delegates chosen in primaries.

b.Sequential primaries, front-loading and regional primaries
c.Role of media in primaries/horse race stories and interpretative role of media
d.Role of California


III.  General Election

a.Electoral College and winner take all
b.Voting behavior: party id.; issue orientation and candidate orientation
c.1992 and 1996 as realigning/dealigning/maintaining/deviating elections.
d.2000, the gender gap, and impeachment. The economy, stupid