Primaries & Caucuses Flashcards

Question

Super Tues Definition

Answer 1

Early feb when a number of states coincide their presidential primaries in order to try and gain influence for their region in the selection of major party pres candidates belief that earlier primaries have more influence over candidate selection Front loading inc in recent years primaries before march 11 1980 42 2008

Answer 2

Closed - only registered party members can vote Open Primary - any registered voter can vote in primary of either party Cross over voting - D voters can opt to ppt in R primaries vice versa 2008 - signif number of R voted for Obama

Answer 3

only registered party voters can vote also allow those who have registered independent to vote in either partys primary proportional primaries - candidates awarded delegates in proportion to the votes they get

Answer 4

minimum % of votes than a candidate must receive to get any of that states delegates usually 15% of vote ALL D & most R = proportional some R = winner takes all primaries Whoever gets most voters wins all states delegates

Answer 5

There are only eight contests that are truly winner-take-all, and they’re all on the Republican side. Florida, Ohio, Montana, New Jersey, South Dakota, Arizona, Nebraska and Delaware.

Answer 6

Hold first caucus 2008 - Obama won - became cover story of Newsweek Jan Before Iowa - behind Clinton in polls - came back in lead Usually low turnout 2016 - 15.7% Republican - Ted Cruz won Democrat - CLINTON won

Answer 7

Trump won NH primary Clinton, Bush, Obama did not Critical contest to win Clinton came second claimed 'come back kid'

Answer 8

when incumbent runs primary for pres party go on w little / no coverage some states do not bother usually renominated without any serious opposition Obama embarrassment 2012 to receive less than 90% of primary vote in 14 states 1976, 1980, 1992 Incumbent signif opposition from own party 1976 - Ford faced Reagan 1980 - Carter faced Senator Edward Kenney 1992 - Bush v Buchanan All lost in general election - a strong primary challenge - damaged goods even before he faces his real opponent criticism made of pres from within own party in primaries - often recycled as damaging campaign material by opponent later in the year important for incumbent not to face any serious opposition in primaries

Answer 9

since reforms of the nomination process in 1960s ppt in primaries had greatly increased 1968 12 million ppt 11% of electorate 1988 35 mill 21% 2008 58 million 30% Individual contests varies 53% NH 17% Louisiana

Answer 10

Stephen Wayne found better educated, higher income & old more likely to vote Type of primary - open - more likely to attract higher turnout How competitive the race is 2008 - Missouri - 825,000 turned out Clinton V Obama Lasted until June 37 million voters 2012 - 72,000 - virtually unchallenged Whether nomination has yet been decided - early primaries attract more by April 2012 - most candidates dropped out race Romney presumed nominee lowest turnouts - where incumbent has been unchallenged 1996 Clinton 2012 Obama Reagan 1984 Bush 2004

Answer 11

Nowadays - only route to becoming pres nominee for major party = primary Not always the case - 50s&60s most states did not hold primaries - used series of state party conventions - only certain members could vote 'smoke filled rooms' - decisions made by party bosses 1968 - in neither party did overall winner of primaries get his party's nomination undemocratic, elitist, non-participatory & potentially corrupt McGovern- Fraser Commission - recommended reforms of pres nomination process led to signif no. of states holding pres primaries from 1972 onwards

Answer 12

Increased level of ppt by ordinary voters 1968 - 11% 1988- 21% 2008- 30% Increased choice of candidates - 1968 D- 3 R- 5 2016 - R - 17 D- 6 Open to outsiders do not initially have a national reputation Jimmy Carter Bill Clinton Barack Obama No power for party bosses - lessening opp for corruption makes more democratic

Answer 13

David Broder - Washington Post - 'Any way you look at it, this is madness' NY times ' a crazy process' ``` Widespread voter apathy and boredom Although it had improved incumbency year - turnout around 17% 2008 - competitive race - 30% 2016 - 28.5% ``` Voters - unrepresentative of population tend to be older, better educated, wealthier & maybe more ideological than whole voting population More ideological candidates do better - 2012 Ron Paul - libertarian repub won at least 10% of votes in 40 P+Cs Process is too long 1960 JFK announced candidacy 66 days before first primary 2008 Obama 332 days BUT not as long when incumbent pres seeking re-election Romney announced 222 days 2012 ``` Process is v expensive Raise large amounts of money start campaign early longer & more expensive 'front loading' little time to raise before primaries have started June 2012 O - $300 million R - $153 million ``` Process is too dominated by the media Rely on media for info - becomes new 'king makers' replace 'party bosses' Loevey 1995 - present nominating process has become a televised horse race TV debates - 47 televised TV debates between R&D before iowa caucus 2012 - R nomination race - polls driven almost exclusively by performance in debate Rick Perry - forgot lines - polls dropped All too easily developed into bitter personal battles 2000 McCain TV commercial accused Bush lying - likening Bush to Clinton voters no confidence in disunited parties Lack of peer review pre reform era - chosen by other pro politicians - good idea of qualifications BUT nowadays - ordinary voters doesnt know about qualities - primaries tend to test campaigning qualities rather than pres qualities

Answer 14

mostly concerned w timings of primaries & attempt to increase the role of pro politicians w/o making it undemocratic making states in one region all vote on same day give greater weight to the votes of elected politicians at NPCs when choosing pres candidate

Answer 15

1960-2012 14 pres elections therefore 28 nominations 22/28 candidates finally chosen = the front runner before a single vote was cast Statistics suggest not that important BUT obama was not a front runner

Answer 16

Democratic party since 1982 Important in 2008 between Obama & Clinton make up 15% of all delegates free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination.