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This concise and coherent
Citizen's Guide examines who has power in presidential nominations and how this affects who we as citizens choose to nominate, and ultimately to sit in the Oval Office. Political scientist Wayne Steger defines the nominating system as a tension between an "insider game" and an "outsider game," depending on the unity and participation of the political party activists and officials, and the presidential aspirants who decide run. Either party insiders unify early behind a candidate, effectively deciding the nominee before anyone casts a vote, or they are divided and the nomination is determined by citizens in the caucuses and primaries. By clearly addressing the key issues, past and present, of presidential nominations, Steger's guide will be informative, relevant, and accessible for students and general readers alike.
List of contents
Part 1: Introduction and Rules of the Game 1. An Introduction to Presidential Nominations 2. An Evolving Nomination Process Part 2: Mechanics of the Game 3. Party Stakeholders – the Insider Game 4. The Changing Money Game 5. Mass- and Micro- Media Campaigns 6. Competition in Post-Reform Presidential Nominations 7. Collusion or Competition During the Invisible Primary Part 3: Why Some Nominations are Decided Before and Some During the Primaries 8. Political Party Unity: Long- and Short-Term Variations 9. Candidates: Opportunism, Competition, and Change 10. Before, During, and After the Primaries Index
About the author
Wayne P. Steger is Professor of Political Science at DePaul University. He is a former editor of the Journal of Political Marketing and co-editor of Campaigns and Political Marketing. His work includes studies on agenda-setting, media coverage of campaigns, and marketing in political campaigns. His recent work focuses on party elites, coalition formation, and candidate decision-making.
