gov pol 10

Caucus

a meeting of party followers in which party delegates are selected

momentum/bandwagon effect

When a candidate wins, they tend to do better than expected in future contests

battleground states

the most competitive states in the presidential election that either candidate could win; also called swing states

retrospective voting

voting for a candidate because you like their past actions in office

prospective voting

voting for a candidate because you favor their ideas for handling issues

valence issue

an issue on which everyone agrees, but the question is whether or not the candidate embraces the same view

positional issue

issues in which rival candidates have opposing views that also divide voters

Political Action Committee (PAC)

A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary actions

independent expenditures

Spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a party or candidate but is done independently from them

soft money

funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, but not on behalf of a specific candidate

McConnell v. FEC (2003)

Upheld Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act prohibiting corporations and labor unions from running ads that mention candidates and their positions 60 days before federal general election

FEC vs. Wisconsin Right to Life (2007)

Held that issue ads may not be prohibited before a primary or general election

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

overturned part of 2002 law that had prohibited corporate and union funding of campaign ads

McCutcheon v. FEC (2014)

Overturned aggregate limits on individual contributions to candidates and national parties

527 organizations

organizations under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code that raise and spend money to advance political causes

Super PACs

a group that raises and spends unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but cannot coordinate its activities with campaigns in any way

501(c)4 groups

A social welfare organization that can devote no more than 50 percent of its funds to politics.

Incumbent

the person already holding an elected office

incumbancy advantage

the tendency of incumbents to do better than otherwise similar challengers, especially in congressional elections

Gerrymandering

Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party

surge and decline

tendency of the president's party to do better in presidential years when they are at the top of the ticket but to do worse when they are not because many voters are less enthusiastic and stay home

Coattails

the alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidate, such as the president