Table of Contents
Tables and Figures x
Preface xiv
Introduction 1
1 The Strategic Context 7
The Candidate-Centered Campaign 7
The Institutional Framework 9
Political Culture 19
Campaign Technology 21
The Political Setting 23
Recent Congressional Elections 29
Summary 36
2 Candidates and Nominations 37
Strategic Ambition 38
Passing the Primary Test 51
Nominations, Elections, and Representation 57
The Senate 66
Summary 69
3 The Anatomy of a Campaign 71
Campaign Organizations 72
Campaign Budgets 83
Senate Campaigns 85
Summary 86
4 The Parties Campaign 87
National Agenda Setting 88
The National, Congressional, and Senatorial Campaign Committees 93
Strategy, Decision Making, and Targeting 98
Campaign Contributions and Coordinated Expenditures 102
Campaign Services 107
Outside Campaigns 117
The Impact of Party Campaigning 123
Summary 129
5 The Interests Campaign 131
Organizing for Electoral Influence 132
Strategy, Decision Making, and Targeting 146
PAC Contributions 153
Campaign Services 157
Outside Campaigns 159
The Impact of Interest Group Activity 164
Summary 167
6 The Campaign for Resources 169
Inequalities in Resources 170
House Incumbents 172
House Challengers 183
Candidates for House Open Seats 188
Senate Campaigns 193
Single-Candidate Super PACs and 501(c) Organizations 197
Summary 200
7 Campaign Strategy 202
Voting Behavior 202
Voters and Campaign Strategy 207
Gauging Public Opinion 209
Voter Targeting 212
The Message 216
Summary 225
8 Campaign Communications 226
Television Advertising 227
Radio Advertising 233
Newspaper Advertising 233
Direct Mail and Newsletters 234
Telephone Calls 235
The Internet and Social Media 236
Free Media 238
Field Work 242
The Importance of Different Communications Techniques 244
Outside Campaigns 246
Summary 246
9 Candidates, Campaigns, and Electoral Success 248
House Incumbent Campaigns 249
House Challenger Campaigns 256
House Open-Seat Campaigns 261
Senate Campaigns 266
Claiming Credit and Placing Blame 268
Summary 273
10 Elections and Governance 275
The Permanent Campaign 276
A Decentralized Congress 278
Political Parties as Centralizing Agents 282
Responsiveness, Responsibility, and Public Policy 285
Summary 291
11 Campaign Reform 292
The Case for Reform 293
Obstacles to Reform 295
Some Ideas for Reform 304
Summary 312
Notes 314
Notes Name Index 342
Index 347
