POLI 316: Campaigns and Elections

"The Almanac of American Politics uniquely combines the best journalistic coverage of Congress and the states, with new content and data that respond to the political insiders'need for rapid and reliable information. This indispensable and iconic book, published every two years since 1972, is the only source that profiles every member of Congress, every governor, plus the 50 states and 435 House districts."

"The focus of this guidebook is on citizen campaigns in America's most urbanized and yet very diverse state, New Jersey — the Garden State, where civic action flourishes like tomato vines. In a state once maligned as a malodorous turn ­ pike between New York and points south, citizen groups have repeatedly demonstrated a mastery of grassroots civic campaigns..."

"In modern American presidential campaigning, scholars and citizens have bemoaned the effects of electronic media on voters. Much has been written about the effects of television ads, media management, perceived bias, and other issues, yet one element of today’s media environment that most Americans would recognize has not been identified in the public mind: expectation setting. Journalists regularly tell audiences what actions candidates should take on the campaign trail, based solely on whether they’re leading or trailing in public opinion polls. "

"Social scientists and campaign strategists approach voting behavior from opposite poles. Reconciling these camps through a merger of statistics and election experience, The American Political Landscape presents a full-scale analysis of U.S. electoral politics over the last quarter-century."

"Tight political races with their emotionally charged debates, mud-slinging, and uncertain outcomes are stressful for voters and candidates alike, but that stress may be healthy for democracy. In Competitive Elections and the American Voter, Keena Lipsitz argues that highly contested electoral battles create an environment that allows citizens to make more enlightened decisions. "