An intriguing phenomenon in American electoral politics is the loss
of seats by the president's party in midterm congressional elections.
Between 1862 and 1990, the president's party lost seats in the House
of Representatives in 32 of the 33 midterm elections. In his new
study, James Campbell examines explanations for these midterm losses
and explores how presidential elections influence congressional
elections.After reviewing the two major theories of midterm
electoral change-the "surge and decline" theory and the theory of
midterms as referenda on presidential performance Campbell draws upon
each to propose and test a new theory. He asserts that in the years of
presidential elections congressmen ride presidential coattails into
office, while in midterm elections such candidates are stranded. An
additional factor is the strength of the presidential vote, which
influences the number of seats that are won, only to be lost
later.Finally, Campbell examines how the presidential pulse may
affect electoral accountability, the relationship between Congress and
the president, and the relative strength of Congress, the president,
and political parties. He explores the implications of the
presidential pulse for understanding electoral change, evaluating the
American voter's
competence, and assessing the importance of split-ticket
voting.Including both election returns and survey data, The
Presidential Pulse of Congressional Elections offers a fresh
perspective on congressional elections, voting behavior, Congress, and
the presidency.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780813149035
Publisert
2015
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Vendor
The University Press of Kentucky
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter