8-1: PRESIDENTIAL
NOMINATIONS AND CAMPAIGNS
PARTY NOMINATIONS
Presidential Primaries
History
1800s—congressional
caucus
Jackson—conventions
Gilded Age—political
machines
Progressive Era—
primaries
Today—primaries/
caucuses
PARTY NOMINATIONS
Presidential Primaries
Primaries
You vote for the nominee
Methods vary by state
Closed Primary
required to identify a
party beforehand
Can vote in one
primary only
Open Primary
Can select Republican
or Democratic ticket
Can lead to sabotage
PARTY NOMINATIONS
Presidential Primaries
Caucuses
Local meetings to select
delegates to vote for candidates
at the convention
Importance
Only 25% of citizens vote in
primaries
Party activists
Older people
Wealthier people
Candidates veer away from
moderate positions for
primaries
Return to middle for the
general election
PARTY NOMINATIONS
National Conventions
Party’s official candidate introduced Pre-determined due to primary system
Platform established
Counting Delegates
Winner-take-all Some states
More often Republicans
Proportional Some states
More often Democrats
Superdelegates Pledged/unpledged delegates
Not dependent on popular vote
Party leaders hold more control
CAMPAIGNING
Background
Spending Totals
1976: $67,000,000.00
1992: $192,000,000.00
2004: $718,000,000.00
2012: $2,200,000,000.00
CAMPAIGNING
Campaign Finance Reform
Federal Election Campaign Act
Created FEC in 1974
Provided public financing for
major party candidates
Placed limitations on
contributions and spending
Buckley v. Valeo, 1976
Upheld donation limits by PACs
Struck down spending limits
Candidates can spend unlimited
amounts of their own money (free
speech)
CAMPAIGNING
Campaign Finance Reform
Soft Money
Unregulated donations for
“party-building activities”
Would be funneled to
campaigns
Bi-Partisan Campaign
Finance Reform Act
(McCain-Feingold Act), 2002
Eliminated soft money
donations
501(c) Organization
Tax-exempt
Non political
CAMPAIGNING
Campaign Finance Reform
527 Organization
Tax-exempt
Influence elections
Includes PACs, Super PACs
Super PACs
Organizations created to
influence the political process
Not subject to donation
restrictions
Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
“Money is speech”
Cannot officially endorse a
candidate
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