Nominations and Campaigns
Chapter 10
How does a candidate gain a party’s nomination for President? Nomination
Official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party
Candidate chosen for a few reasons: Momentum Money Media Attention
Are presidential campaigns too long? Candidates for POTUS
announce they are running office almost two years before the election!
Is this too long?
When did Barack Obama begin his campaign for POTUS?
What happens after everyone says they are running for POTUS? We hold elections 2 types:
Primary elections State elections held before the Political parties national
conventions One goal = determine the candidates for each party!
**This takes place the year before the general election.
Caucuses state citizens meet to vote on who their state will nominate for
each political party. Used to be just state representatives who voted in caucuses
Why do Primaries matter? It eliminates weak competition.
Nomination game is an elimination contest
Goal is to win: Majority system
Candidate needs 50.1% to win
Plurality system Candidate needs more votes than
everyone else Does not have to be 50%
Whoever gets the most states to vote for them wins the party nomination!
How is the caucus different from the primary?
Iowa is FirstHowever they go, so does the nation!
Second Difference….the way they vote.Primary Election Caucus Election
What are some problems with the primary and caucus system? Disproportionate attention to early primaries
Iowa New Hampshire
Money plays too big a role.
Participation in primaries and caucuses is low 20% vote in primaries
So what happens after the primaries? We are off to the Party
conventions. Held to nominate a candidate for
each political party. National conventions provide great
drama. Sometimes leads to duels…
Hamilton vs. Burr
Significant rallying point for parties
Presidential nominee gives rallying speech. Talks about party platform
Party’s position on issues of the day.
Burr vs. Hamilton…
http://www.mrbach.net/documents/multimedia_2.html
2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
Next Come the Debates…
We are off to election day…