Voters need information about the qualities of candidates, the policies they propose and the partisan labels they wear. Does our Electoral College encourage the most qualified candidates to run? Does it force them to talk candidly with the American people? Will election results accurately reflect the needs of the population as a whole? Wayne's THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE 2020 answers these questions in a straightforward, jargon-free manner. Equipping you with a background on presidential elections and a guide to the 2020 election, it illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of our electoral democracy. It also offers insights on changes that have revolutionized contemporary electoral politics: the flood of money, the ideological polarization of American parties, the digital revolution, foreign interference, voter eligibility, the integrity of the voting process itself and much more.
Part I: THE ELECTORAL ARENA.
1. Presidential Selection: A Historical Overview.
2. Campaign Finance.
3. The Political Environment.
Part II: THE NOMINATION.
4. Party Rules and Their Impact: The Legal Environment.
5. Campaigning for the Nomination.
6. The Post-Primary Campaign.
Part III: THE GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
7. Strategy, Tactics, and Operation.
8. Media Politics.
Part IV: THE ELECTION: ITS MEANING AND CONSEQUENCES.
9. Understanding Presidential Elections.
10. Reforming the Electoral System.
APPENDICES:
The Mueller Report (If Available).
Results of Presidential Elections, 1900–2016.
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Stephen J. Wayne
Stephen Wayne is an Emeritus Professor of Government at Georgetown University. He is a Washington insider who has written many books and articles on the presidency and presidential elections. A frequent source for journalists covering American politics, he often appears on television and radio news programs, conducts seminars for senior federal executives and international visitors, and lectures at many universities in the United States and abroad.
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Now including new 48 page appendix covering the 2019-2020 presidential election campaign including fundraising, primaries, debates, and election results.
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Completely up to date, Wayne's THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE 2020 includes detailed coverage of the 2016 presidential election, including topics such as fraudulent voting claims and foreign interference--issues that continued to grab headlines long after Election Day.
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New analysis includes the confluence of partisan, ideological and identity politics and the influence of these factors on turnout and voting behavior.
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Expanded coverage gives students an up-close view of party elites vs. citizen activists in the battle for control of the nomination.
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The clash between conventional and unconventional campaigning is vividly illustrated using examples from the 2016 presidential nominations and election.
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All-new coverage is devoted to the increasing use of digital technology and its impact.
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A widely respected Washington insider, Dr. Wayne insightfully compares traditional news coverage with campaign-directed online, on ground and rally events.
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The problems of contemporary polling are examined in detail.
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Helping students see the full story, the text takes a close look at the 2016 election, the transition that followed and its impact on the Trump Administration and the presidency overall.
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The text thoroughly explores the relationship between money and electoral success in 2016 and 2018.
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Thoroughly updated, this edition integrates and illustrates new information on campaign finance, parties, presidential campaigning in the primaries and general election, news media coverage, the use of social media by the candidates as well as forecasting, polling, election analysis and the effect of elections on governance.
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Dr. Wayne explores the continuities and changes in the electoral environment, the nomination process and the conduct of the general election. He also examines the composition of the American electorate and the differing strategies candidates have used to solidify their partisan coalitions as well as influence the increasing proportion of Independent voters.
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Offering additional insight to further student understanding of the political process, boxed features include engaging coverage of rules for state caucuses and primaries, the importance of the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary, major polling glitches from 1936 to the present, the problems with polling today, and why Trump won and Clinton lost the general election in 2016.
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Giving students hands-on experience sharpening their critical thinking skills, case studies explore recent presidential nomination and election campaign strategies, the demise of public funding, the growth and sophistication of digital campaigning and more.
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Encouraging further student exploration of chapter concepts, "Where on the Web?" features provide lists of relevant websites, while "Selected Readings" in each chapter have been updated to include the most recent political science, participant and journal literature.
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End-of-chapter exercises suggest additional opportunities for students to dive deeper into the issues presented in the chapter, whether through online research projects or personal involvement with the political process.
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With its neutral focus on how the presidential election system works, its accessibility to a wide range of students and its up-to-the-minute coverage of the art and science of presidential elections, THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE has been the leading text in its field since it was first published. It is solely authored and solely researched. The 2020 edition, which builds on and revises previous editions, reflects the author’s fascination with and passion for presidential electoral politics.