Description

The 2008 presidential nominations were unprecedented in many ways. Marking another step in the democratization of the selection process and a surprising loss of control by party elites, the contests in both parties were unusually competitive and the outcomes belied the predictions of experts. This book offers a fresh look at the role of parties, the constraints of campaign finance, the status of front-runners, and the significance of rules, race, and gender in the post-reform era. In this volume, leading scholars assess the state of the process with original research about money, scheduling, superdelegates, and the role of race and gender in voting.

Original analyses show how changes in campaign finance and the scheduling of primaries and caucuses helped determined the outcomes in both parties. Race, once thought of as a handicap, proved an asset for the Obama campaign. 2008 marked another milestone in the democratization of the nominations process with expanded participation by rank and file voters in donating money, voting, and using the Internet. This timely book provides a glimpse into the future of party nominations and elections.

Table of Contents

1 Table of Contents
Chapter 2 Introduction
Chapter 3 1. The Changing Nature of Campaign Financing for Primary Candidates
Chapter 4 2. Money in 2008: A Collapse of the Campaign Finance Regime?
Chapter 5 3. Knowns and Unknowns in Campaign Finance
Chapter 6 4. Assumptions and Realities of Presidential Primary Front-Loading in 2008
Chapter 7 5. What Political Scientists May (or May Not) Know about Presidential Nominations
Chapter 8 6. The Rules and the Role of Race and Gender in 2008
Chapter 9 7. The Way We Choose Presidential Nominees: Problems and Prospects
Chapter 10 References

Product details

Published Sep 16 2009
Format Hardback
Edition 1st
Extent 140
ISBN 9780742566378
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Dimensions 239 x 162 mm
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Related Titles

Environment: Staging