Deck 10: Elections and Campaigns Elections and Campaigns

Question 1

 Since 1911,the size of the House of Representatives has been fixed at __________ members. 

A) 100 
B) 217 
C) 400 
D) 435 
E) 437

Answer 1

D

Question 2

 By the time the 2016 presidential election was completed,the presidential campaigns had raised and spent approximately 

A) $6 million. 
B) $4 billion. 
C) $1.5 billion. 
D) $800 million. 
E) $500 million.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

 A candidate who wins an upset victory in an early primary often tends to do better than expected in future contests.This is known as the _____ effect. 

A) prospective. 
B) battleground. 
C) Coriolis. 
D) caucus. 
E) bandwagon.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

 The biggest challenge in the presidential primary for most candidates is  

A) that they are unknown to the public. 
B) that incumbents are hard to unseat. 
C) gaining the support of the party organization. 
D) choosing a Vice President. 
E) deciding when to run.

Question 5

 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 6

 Since the mid-1960s,the incumbent reelection rate has never dropped below __________ percent in the Senate. 

A) 60 
B) 65 
C) 75 
D) 80 
E) 90

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

 A comprehensive study on political advertisements found that the plurality emphasized 

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

Question 9

 Originally,presidential candidates were chosen by 

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

Question 10

 Congressional incumbents often beat their challengers because they 

A) have more name recognition. 
B) can take credit for the good things that happened in their district. 
C) provide services to those whom they represent. 
D) have a fundraising advantage. 
E) All of these are correct.

Question 11

 Since the mid-1960s,the incumbent reelection percentage in the House has never dropped below 

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

Question 12

 The quintessential summary of retrospective voting,according to Ronald Reagan,was, 

A) "All politics is local." 
B) "Events, dear boy, events." 
C) "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." 
D) "Every man a king, but no one wears the crown." 
E) "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"

Question 13

 Media's influence on voters is greatest when  

A) people have the least knowledge about an issue. 
B) people are very well informed about an issue. 
C) people understand enough about an issue to know that it's important, but not enough to form a cohesive perspective. 
D) voters are already extensively familiar with the candidates. 
E) None of these are correct.

Question 14

 Electoral coattails refers to 

A) the formal attire of presidential candidates. 
B) coordinated campaigns between different offices in the same party. 
C) competition between the two main parties. 
D) how more attractive candidates perform better in national elections. 
E) the winning presidential candidate's positive effect on congressional elections.

Question 15

 The most important factor in winning the Presidency is 

A) partisanship. 
B) the health of the nation. 
C) candidate character. 
D) fundraising. 
E) organization.

Question 16

 After party caucuses were replaced by national nominating conventions,the real power in selecting presidential nominees was wielded by 

A) the voters in primary elections. 
B) local party leaders. 
C) political pundits. 
D) nonpartisan groups that sought to pick the best candidates. 
E) the voters in caucus elections.

Question 17

 In 2016,Republican leaders voted to frontload the primary process and make it easier for a candidate to capture the nomination early on.This move ultimately 

A) almost prevented Donald Trump from winning. 
B) allowed Donald Trump to clinch the nomination on March 1. 
C) helped Donald Trump win. 
D) caused many Republicans to abandon the party. 
E) caused many Democrats to vote Republican.

Question 18

 An important part of presidential campaigning is activating voters' latent partisanship.This entails 

A) the demonization of the other party's nominees. 
B) assigning blame for recent failures. 
C) assigning credit for recent successes. 
D) reminding party members why they're party members. 
E) None of these are correct.

Question 19

 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 20

 Concerned about the shortened length of campaigns,parties have begun to 

A) reduce frontloading of primary elections and reduce delegates from early states. 
B) move up early voting by giving more delegates to early states. 
C) move back their conventions to later in the year. 
D) do nothing. 
E) None of these are correct.

Question 21

 In general,the president's party __________ in off-year midterm elections. 

A) gains votes 
B) keeps the same number of votes 
C) loses votes 
D) gains or loses votes with no apparent pattern 
E) gains or loses votes based on the fundamentals.

Question 22

 Congressional elections are held every 

A) 2 years. 
B) 4 years. 
C) 6 years. 
D) 8 years. 
E) 10 years.

Question 23

 Which of the following was an example of a valence issue helping a presidential candidate? 

A) Richard Nixon was seen as more supportive of anticrime measures than his rival. 
B) Jimmy Carter appeared to favor honesty in government more than his opponent. 
C) Ronald Reagan was more closely identified with a strong economy than his opponent. 
D) George H. W. Bush was more closely linked to patriotism than his opponent. 
E) All of these are correct.

Question 24

 Which of the following is not considered a pivotal state in presidential elections? 

A) Florida. 
B) California. 
C) Pennsylvania. 
D) Ohio. 
E) North Carolina.

Question 25

 Campaign finance reforms  

A) required candidates to raise money from many small donors. 
B) required donations to be reported to the FEC. 
C) made the media more powerful in elections. 
D) benefited incumbent politicians. 
E) All of these are correct.

Question 26

 Front-loading the primaries tends to  

A) benefit state parties at the expense of voters. 
B) benefit voters at the expense of state parties. 
C) benefit both voters and state parties. 
D) be harmful to both voters and state parties. 
E) have no measurable effect on either voters or state parties.

Question 27

 Most demographic groups favor one party or the other by 

A) 25% or more 
B) 20% 
C) 15% 
D) 10% 
E) 5% or less

Question 28

 In recent elections,candidates have relied increasingly on 

A) appearances at malls to reach potential voters. 
B) large parades and rallies to reach potential voters. 
C) whistle-stop train tours to reach potential voters. 
D) appearances at factories to reach potential voters. 
E) broadcasting to reach potential voters.

Question 29

 Which of the following is a true statement about political campaign advertisements?  

A) They work primarily on the uninformed and uneducated. 
B) They appeal primarily to logic and reason. 
C) They are predominantly dirty and deceptive. 
D) They rile up emotions and increase voter turnout. 
E) None of these are correct.

Question 30

 The effects of gerrymandering are  

A) nonexistent. 
B) more serious than most people realize. 
C) less serious than many people claim. 
D) about as serious as most people believe. 
E) often contradictory to expectations.

Question 31

 Presidential elections are held every 

A) 2 years. 
B) 4 years. 
C) 6 years. 
D) 8 years. 
E) 10 years.

Question 32

 Everyone is in agreement over a __________ issue; the question is whether any given candidate can bring about the outcome everyone desires. 

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

Question 33

 In the 1980 presidential election,many people voted for Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter as a vote against Carter's performance.This is an example of a(n) 

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

Question 34

 Money is  

A) more important to congressional elections than to presidential elections. 
B) less important to congressional elections than to presidential elections. 
C) neither more nor less important to congressional elections than to presidential elections. 
D) either more or less important to congressional elections than to presidential elections, depending on whether the election is a midterm. 
E) as important to congressional elections as to presidential elections, but in different ways.

Question 35

 The federal government provides matching funds,dollar for dollar,for money raised by small donors for what types of elections? 

A) Congressional elections 
B) Presidential elections 
C) Governor's elections 
D) State legislative elections 
E) None of these are correct.

Question 36

 Which of the following observations illustrates the concept of surge and decline? 

A) A Democrat was elected president in 1936, and Democrats won seats in the midterm elections of 1938. 
B) A Democrat was elected president in 2008, and Democrats lost seats in the midterm elections of 2010. 
C) A Democrat was elected president in 1996, and Republicans won seats in the midterm elections of 2002. 
D) A Republican was elected president in 1988, and a Democrat was elected president in 1992. 
E) Beginning in 1992, a Democrat was president for eight years, then a Republican, then another Democrat. 

Question 37

 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) positional

Question 38

 Most political ads are 

A) negative. 
B) positive. 
C) dishonest. 
D) related to the issues of the campaign. 
E) ineffective.

Question 39

 To be president,a person must be 

A) a natural born citizen. 
B) 45 years old. 
C) a legalized citizen. 
D) 40 years old. 
E) a veteran.

Question 40

 Since 1964,African Americans have voted Democratic by at least 

A) 50%. 
B) 60%. 
C) 70%. 
D) 80%. 
E) 90%.

Question 41

 In Federal Election Commission v.Wisconsin Right to Life,the Supreme Court held that 

A) McCain-Feingold, a campaign finance law, was constitutional. 
B) issue advocacy was not protected by the First Amendment and could be banned. 
C) issue advocacy was protected by the First Amendment and could not be banned. 
D) speech required money, and so campaign finance laws were illegal. 
E) None of these are correct.

Question 42

 The text suggests that elections are decided by __________ voters. 

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

Question 43

 In a presidential election,the foremost factor for Independent voters is 

A) the health of the nation. 
B) foreign policy. 
C) economic issues such as taxes and welfare. 
D) social issues such abortion and gun control. 
E) All of these are correct.

Question 44

 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) their freedom from libelous laws.

Question 45

 Soft money is obtained by 

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

Question 46

 In a strong party parliamentary system,once a party wins office 

A) it can implement its platform line by line. 
B) it can only implement its platform if a majority of the other parties agree. 
C) it must get approval of its platform from another branch of government. 
D) it cannot undo previous parties' laws. 
E) None of these are correct.

Question 47

 Based on research,presidential debates seem to 

A) determine elections. 
B) be pivotal events. 
C) be watched by only a few insiders. 
D) matter for undecided voters. 
E) help incumbents.

Question 48

 According to the text, 

A) the outcome of a presidential election is important if and only if the president's party has a majority in at least one house of Congress. 
B) the outcome of a presidential election is important if and only if the president's party has majorities in both houses of Congress. 
C) the outcome of a presidential election is important, but only to the extent that it affects subsequent congressional elections. 
D) elections have a slightly, but not significantly, bigger impact than many cynics believe. 
E) elections have a much bigger impact than many cynics believe.

Question 49

 Unlimited money given to political parties but not used to back candidates directly is known as  

A) hard money. 
B) soft money. 
C) issue advocacy. 
D) PAC money. 
E) independent expenditures.

Question 50

 Most of the money for congressional candidates comes from 

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

Question 51

 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 52

 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 53

 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 54

 In most years,__________ is the central issue for most voters. 

A) health care 
B) social justice 
C) foreign policy 
D)  crime 
E)  the economy

Question 55

 Which of the following accurately reflects a source of dissatisfaction for many voters in the 2016 presidential election? 

A) Neither of the candidates had much real-world experience outside of political office. 
B) Neither of the candidates had much experience in political office. 
C) Wall Street corruption created a financial crisis in 2012 that by 2016 still hadn't been fixed. 
D) The economy experienced a significant downturn from 2012 to 2016. 
E) The economy improved from 2012 to 2016, but most of the new wealth went to people who were already very rich.

Question 56

 The agency responsible for monitoring federal elections and campaign finance is the 

A) United States Congress 
B) United States Department of State 
C) United State Department of Justice 
D) State Departments of State 
E) Federal Election Commission

Question 57

 After Democrats won the Presidency and large majorities in Congress in 1964,they 

A) instituted federal aid to education. 
B) created Medicare and Medicaid. 
C) passed a great deal of environmental and consumer protection laws. 
D) revised immigration laws. 
E) All of these are correct.

Question 58

 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 59

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

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

Question 60

 Ordinary advertising directed at or against a candidate,but not by any candidate's wish,is 

A) "independent expenditure." 
B) illegal. 
C) only present at the state level. 
D) "political action." 
E) "soft money."

Question 61

 In the 1800s,most people voted straight party ticket. 

Question 62

 If you run for a seat in the House against the incumbent,the odds are very much against you. 

Question 63

 Research has found that highly emotional ads have the most effect on people who know the most about politics. 

Question 64

 By custom,members of Congress must live in the district that they represent,not just the state. 

Question 65

 In Israel and the Netherlands,the names of candidates for the legislature do not even appear on the ballot. 

Question 66

 The current size of the House at 435 members was set in the year 1911. 

Question 67

 Presidential candidates must accept public funding. 

Question 68

 The authors suggest that campaigns focus on assigning credit and blame for the state of the nation,activating latent partisanship,and introducing and judging the candidates' characters. 

Question 69

 The president's party tends to do well in off-year elections. 

Question 70

 Gerrymandering occurs when districts are drawn for purely political reasons. 

Question 71

 A positional issue is an issue that does not divide voters. 

Question 72

 Presidential campaigning has changed drastically,and fundraising has lost its importance. 

Question 73

 Voters know,generally speaking,if the country is headed on the right track or wrong track. 

Question 74

 During ordinary times,every election is critical and forces the parties to fight over a single dominant issue. 

Question 75

 Presidential candidates were first nominated by national conventions. 

Question 76

 As in presidential elections,the health of the economy is important to congressional elections. 

Question 77

 Most of the money that candidates spend today is media related. 

Question 78

 It is unconstitutional to restrict the expenditures of a candidate's campaigns,but contributions to campaigns can be limited. 

Question 79

 The effect of gerrymandering on congressional elections is much larger than many claim. 

Question 80

 Trade and corporate PAC money tends to flow exclusively to ideologically similar parties.