Deck 10: Elections and Campaigns

Question 1

In 1980, Ronald Reagan chose ________ as a theme for his campaign.

A) the need for change
B) trust
C) compassionate conservatism
D) competence
E) strength

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Voters tend to prefer a presidential candidate with experience as a

A) governor.
B) member of the House of Representatives.
C) military leader.
D) member of the Senate.
E) both A and C.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

In 2006, John McCain's choice of campaign political consultants was somewhat unusual because they

A) were strong supporters of the death penalty.
B) were relatively young and inexperienced.
C) had worked with him in all of his previous campaigns.
D) previously worked directly against him, and for his opponents.
E) refused to use focus groups.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Most "position papers" are rarely, if ever, used, but they are still important because they

A) show important interest groups a candidate's positions.
B) prepare candidates to answer tough questions.
C) allow journalists to look up a candidate's views.
D) sway voters in key states.
E) Options A, B, and C.

Question 5

Originally, presidential candidates were chosen by

A) lottery.
B) conventions.
C) congressional caucus.
D) state legislatures.
E) governors.

Question 6

A study of political ads broadcast from 1999 to 2004 found that ads that appealed to the emotions had the greatest impact on voters

A) with the most information about government.
B) who were participating in elections for the first time.
C) who considered themselves independents.
D) who were the least educated.
E) who knew the least about each particular candidate.

Question 7

A major difference between presidential campaigns and congressional campaigns is that

A) fewer people vote in presidential elections.
B) presidential incumbents can better serve their constituents.
C) presidential incumbents can more easily avoid responsibility.
D) presidential races are generally more competitive.
E) congressional incumbents are more likely to be defeated.

Question 8

Who decides how many representatives there are in the House?

A) Congress
B) The Supreme Court
C) The President
D) State legislatures
E) Party leaders

Question 9

Since 1962, over ____ percent of House incumbents who sought reelection have won it.

A) 60
B) 65
C) 75
D) 80
E) 90

Question 10

The elections that produce the largest voter turnout are the

A) local elections.
B) judicial elections.
C) senatorial elections.
D) House elections.
E) presidential elections.

Question 11

A study of political ads broadcast from 1999 to 2004 found that the largest number emphasized

A) stirring positive emotions.
B) voters' fears.
C) civic duty.
D) nonpartisan cooperation.
E) candidates' personal qualities.

Question 12

When Hubert Humphrey won the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 1968, he did so

A) without spending money on advertising.
B) with considerable assistance from Republican voters.
C) without raising money.
D) in spite of opposition from party bosses.
E) without competing in a single state primary.

Question 13

In 2000, George Bush chose __________ as a theme for his campaign.

A) the need for change
B) trust
C) compassionate conservatism
D) competence
E) strength

Question 14

Most of the money that individual candidates spend during the course of a campaign is directed toward

A) media-related activities.
B) campaign staff and advisors.
C) travel-related expenses.
D) campaign literature.
E) the national convention.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about the nomination process in the United States is correct?

A) Parties play a minor role compared with those in Europe.
B) Parties play a larger role today than at the turn of the twentieth century.
C) In the United States, nomination is usually tantamount to election.
D) The nomination process in the United States is more of an organizational effort than in Europe.
E) The nomination is less influenced by organized interests than in Europe.

Question 16

Which of the following statements best summarizes the value of presidential coattails to congressional candidates of the same party?

A) They have never been a significant factor.
B) They remain a significant factor today.
C) They are increasingly significant for the Republicans.
D) They are becoming more significant today.
E) They are becoming much less significant today.

Question 17

The text suggests that the term campaigning has become a synonym for

A) calculating.
B) mobilizing.
C) communicating.
D) reflecting.
E) fundraising.

Question 18

The first goal of an individual planning to run for office is to

A) hire a paid staff of advisers.
B) get mentioned as a possible candidate.
C) develop a strategy for the campaign.
D) raise money from individuals and political action committees (PACs).
E) replace party leaders with avid supporters.

Question 19

When a district is so unequal that the votes of citizens are significantly diluted, it is

A) malapportioned.
B) reapportioned.
C) regressed.
D) gerrymandered.
E) disbarred.

Question 20

Ronald Reagan made a dozen speeches a day to audiences all over the country while

A) his acting career was in full swing.
B) working for General Electric.
C) running for president in 1980.
D) running for president in 1984.
E) campaigning for George Bush.

Question 21

The problems related to malapportionment and gerrymandering were eventually addressed by

A) the president.
B) political parties.
C) the Supreme Court.
D) a Senate committee.
E) a House committee.

Question 22

Who said, "All politics is local"?

A) Will Rodgers
B) William Jennings Bryan
C) Henry Lodge
D) Huey Long
E) "Tip" O'Neill

Question 23

The way people get elected to Congress ensures that

A) legislators are closely tied to local concerns.
B) the news media will pay little attention to incumbents.
C) communication with interest groups will be difficult, frustrating.
D) party leaders will have relatively weak influence over them.
E) Both A and D.

Question 24

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A) Representatives must be twenty years of age.
B) Senators must be thirty years of age.
C) Representatives must have been citizens of the United States for seven years.
D) Senators must have been citizens of the United States for nine years.
E) Representatives and senators must live in the state in which they are elected.

Question 25

The Constitution calls for reapportionment

A) every five years.
B) every ten years.
C) every twenty years.
D) every fifty years.
E) every one hundred years.

Question 26

The first real test of a candidate vying for the nomination comes in

A) Florida.
B) California.
C) Pennsylvania.
D) Rhode Island.
E) Iowa.

Question 27

To win the presidential nomination as opposed to the general election, candidates generally present themselves as

A) more conservative.
B) more liberal.
C) more liberal if Republican, more conservative if Democratic.
D) more liberal if Democratic, more conservative if Republican.
E) moderate.

Question 28

A _________ issue is one in which the rival candidates have opposing views on a question that also divides the voters.

A) valence
B) primary
C) secondary
D) residual
E) position

Question 29

The increase in voter support that a member of the House receives in his or her first bid for reelection is referred to as the

A) no-brainer march.
B) post-office bounce.
C) two-time round-up.
D) second-wind surprise.
E) sophomore surge.

Question 30

Disputed congressional elections are decided by

A) the Supreme Court.
B) the state supreme courts.
C) Congress.
D) the state legislatures.
E) state governors.

Question 31

The text suggests members of Congress often

A) "run for Congress by running alongside it."
B) "run for Congress by running with the president."
C) "run for Congress by clinging to it."
D) "run for Congress by running against it."
E) "run for Congress by defending it."

Question 32

All of the following states gained seats in the House after the 2000 census except

A) California.
B) North Carolina.
C) Georgia.
D) Illinois.
E) Arizona.

Question 33

Most newly elected members of the House can expect an increase of _________ percent more votes when they run for reelection.

A) 1 to 2
B) 3 to 4
C) 5 to 7
D) 8 to 10
E) 15 to 20

Question 34

One reason that the approach used by a candidate in a general election may not work in a primary is that a primary candidate must

A) take a more mainstream view of key issues.
B) be more aware of the "clothespin" vote.
C) play to the ideology of political activists.
D) take greater caution to avoid slips of the tongue.
E) avoid media scrutiny at all costs.

Question 35

Members of the House and Senate can remove fellow members by a _______ vote.

A) plurality
B) majority
C) two-thirds
D) three-fourths
E) unanimous

Question 36

In the 2008 election, John McCain wanted to let people put some of their Social Security money into private savings accounts; Barack Obama opposed this. This is an example of a ________ issue.

A) valence
B) primary
C) secondary
D) position
E) residual

Question 37

John Kerry's famous "flip-flop" position from the primary season to the general election campaign concerned

A) the invasion of Iraq.
B) taxes.
C) the death penalty.
D) Social Security.
E) Medicare.

Question 38

After the last two census adjustments, which state has benefited the most by gaining the highest number of seats in the House?

A) California
B) New York
C) Florida
D) Texas
E) Illinois

Question 39

When a district is drawn in a bizarre or unusual shape to assist a candidate, it is

A) malapportioned.
B) reapportioned.
C) regressed.
D) gerrymandered.
E) disbarred.

Question 40

In the 1980 presidential election, many people voted for Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter as a vote against Carter, not out of loyalty to Reagan. Such a vote is referred to as a(n)

A) spin vote.
B) "clothespin" vote.
C) prospective vote.
D) informed vote.
E) inclined vote.

Question 41

An example of a ________ issue occurred when Jimmy Carter seemed more likely to favor honesty in government than did his opponent in 1976.

A) residual
B) primary
C) secondary
D) position
E) valence

Question 42

The drawback to candidates of television visuals and debates is

A) their time limitations.
B) the risk of verbal slips.
C) their expense.
D) audience passivity.
E) the inability to control background images.

Question 43

One effect of candidates' fear of a slip during campaigning is that, increasingly, candidates are

A) relying on television debates to clarify their views.
B) selling an image rather than their ideas.
C) avoiding stock speeches in favor of impromptu briefings.
D) avoiding television exposure altogether.
E) concentrating heavily on substance and ideas.

Question 44

The potentially useful effect of television is best illustrated by the 1992 campaign of

A) Bill Clinton.
B) George Bush.
C) Ross Perot.
D) all of the candidates.
E) none of the candidates.

Question 45

The blanket primary is also called a(n) _______ primary.

A) open
B) nonpartisan
C) flat-line
D) free-love
E) revolving

Question 46

Compared with paid television advertising, television visuals such as an appearance by a candidate on the nightly news are probably

A) more expensive.
B) less credible with voters.
C) more informative.
D) less influential on election outcomes.
E) less informative.

Question 47

In a(n) _____ primary, you can vote for candidates of either party.

A) blanket
B) open
C) closed
D) runoff
E) static

Question 48

The impact of television advertising is probably

A) greater for clarifying issues than for projecting an image.
B) more pronounced in congressional than in presidential races.
C) greater in primary elections than in general elections.
D) greater in general elections than in primary elections.
E) greater on strong partisans.

Question 49

It was somewhat unusual for Richard Nixon to agree to debate John Kennedy in 1960 because

A) the setting and guiding rules gave a strong advantage to Kennedy.
B) the number of viewers was almost certain to be low.
C) the Republican Party objected to the debates.
D) polls indicated Nixon was well ahead of Kennedy.
E) Kennedy was less well known than Nixon.

Question 50

An advantage of direct-mail appeals is that they

A) cost very little.
B) can be directed at specific subgroups of the population.
C) can blanket the entire electorate.
D) reach only the literate.
E) can convince strong partisans to change their perspectives.

Question 51

In a(n) _______ primary, the top two candidates run head to head for a majority of the vote.

A) blanket
B) open
C) closed
D) runoff
E) static

Question 52

Which of the following topics would probably play out as a valence issue?

A) Honesty in government
B) A strong economy
C) Patriotism
D) Anti-crime measures
E) All of the above.

Question 53

You must declare in advance that you are a registered member of a political party in a(n) ________ primary.

A) blanket
B) open
C) closed
D) runoff
E) static

Question 54

The acronym BOMFOG refers to

A) the committee that monitors advertising strategies in presidential campaigns.
B) a debate strategy employed by Republican presidential candidates.
C) a repetitive phrase used by a presidential candidate throughout a campaign.
D) any campaign strategy based on focus group polling.
E) the use of public opinion data when candidates are uncertain about their own position on an issue.

Question 55

_________ issues have increased in importance in campaigns in recent years.

A) Valence
B) Primary
C) Secondary
D) Position
E) Residual

Question 56

The kind of campaign activity most notably on the increase in recent elections is

A) appearances at malls.
B) large parades and rallies.
C) whistlestop train tours.
D) appearances at factories.
E) broadcasting.

Question 57

One way for a candidate to avoid embarrassing slips of the tongue during campaigning is to

A) engage in televised debates.
B) avoid paid advertising.
C) participate in town meetings.
D) control the timing of visuals.
E) rely on stock speeches.

Question 58

In a(n) ______ primary, you decide when you enter the voting booth which party's primary you wish to participate in.

A) blanket
B) open
C) closed
D) runoff
E) static

Question 59

Members of the House and Senate can say or write anything they like, without fear of being sued or prosecuted, so long as what they say is

A) approved by party leaders.
B) approved by a U.S. district court.
C) printed with their own personal money.
D) related to the legislative process.
E) consistent with state law.

Question 60

Nearly everyone is in agreement over a _________ issue, and the candidate fully supports the public's view.

A) valence
B) primary
C) secondary
D) position
E) residual

Question 61

Which of the following does the text suggest is a critical factor in presidential elections?

A) The vice-presidential nominee
B) Political reporting
C) The religion of the candidates
D) The candidates' positions on abortion
E) None of the above

Question 62

Barack Obama won the 2008 election with ___ percent of the popular vote.

A) 39
B) 45
C) 52
D) 60
E) 62

Question 63

Democrats could be predicted to win every presidential election if the only factor were

A) candidate appeal.
B) campaign issues.
C) debate performance.
D) money spent.
E) party identification.

Question 64

Many scholars argue that the foremost factor in determining how people vote is

A) debate performance.
B) perception of the best candidate.
C) campaign spending.
D) a candidate's image.
E) party identification.

Question 65

Self-described strong Republicans have voted in greater proportion than strong Democrats in

A) relatively few presidential races.
B) every presidential race in the past thirty years.
C) years when there was a Republican incumbent.
D) years when there was a Democratic incumbent.
E) elections when the economy was strong.

Question 66

Soft money is money that is obtained by

A) political parties.
B) incumbents.
C) challengers.
D) party leaders.
E) party leaders' PACs.

Question 67

Which party tends to be more loyal to its candidate in presidential elections?

A) Democratic
B) Republican
C) Independent
D) A and C
E) No clear-cut difference exists among the parties.

Question 68

The Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 raised the individual limit on contributions to _________ per candidate per election.

A) $1,000
B) $2,000
C) $5,000
D) $10,000
E) $15,000

Question 69

The top PAC contributor in the 2007-2008 campaign cycle was associated with

A) firefighters.
B) credit unions.
C) airline pilots.
D) beer wholesalers.
E) realtors.

Question 70

A PAC must have ____ members.

A) 2
B) 8
C) 50
D) 100
E) 120

Question 71

The way that federal matching funds are made available to candidates for presidential campaigns

A) gives candidates an incentive to raise money from small donors.
B) encourages candidates to use more of their own financing.
C) strengthens the role that the party plays in raising campaign funds.
D) increases the chances of an ideologically oriented candidate's winning the election.
E) encourages a large number of third-party candidates to run.

Question 72

The experience with 527 organizations in the 2004 elections suggests that campaign finance laws

A) are an effective way to minimize interest group participation.
B) are an effective way to reduce campaign spending.
C) facilitate coordination of efforts between candidates and groups.
D) are not likely to take money out of politics.
E) have restricted speech considerably.

Question 73

History suggests that ___ percent of the presidential vote will go to the candidates of the two main parties.

A) 60
B) 70
C) 80
D) 90
E) 99

Question 74

The campaign finance law created in the 1970s was the direct by product of

A) the Watergate scandal.
B) the passage of the Twenty-Six Amendment.
C) decreasing vote turnout.
D) wage and price controls.
E) riots in Chicago.

Question 75

One advantage that incumbents always have over challengers is

A) their larger share of federal campaign monies.
B) the political advantage of riding the president's coattails.
C) their use of free mailings, or franks.
D) their freedom from FEC regulations.
E) both B and D.

Question 76

The text suggests that political junkies are more likely to engage in ________ voting.

A) issueless
B) ideological
C) prospective
D) retrospective
E) sociotropic

Question 77

When a voter votes for the candidate whom he or she considers more likely to do a better job in office, that voting is referred to as

A) "clothespin" voting.
B) ideological voting.
C) prospective voting.
D) retrospective voting.
E) sociotropic voting.

Question 78

Funding of congressional elections comes from

A) public sources only.
B) private sources only.
C) party sources only.
D) a combination of public, party, and private sources.
E) the parties and public sources.

Question 79

Which type of voting requires a lot of information about candidates and issues?

A) Issueless voting
B) Ideological voting
C) Prospective voting
D) Retrospective voting
E) Sociotropic voting

Question 80

Most of the money for congressional candidates comes from

A) PACs.
B) major corporations.
C) small businesses.
D) multinational corporations.
E) individuals.