Deck 8: Campaigns and Elections: Deciding Who Governs

Question 1

Incumbents begin a campaign with greater ___________ than their challengers.

A)voter turnout
B)voter support
C)name recognition
D)mobilization

Answer 1

C

Question 2

When voters are viewing or listening to candidates and attempting to decide which candidate to support,what political skill is required for candidates to project sincerity,compassion,confidence,and good humor to large audiences,in press conferences and interviews,on television,and to reporters?

A)communication
B)professionalism
C)experience
D)intelligence

Answer 2

A

Question 3

"Amateurs" who have won political office include __________.

A)Jack Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey
B)Barack Obama and George W.Bush
C)Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell
D)John Glenn and Steve Largent

Answer 3

D

Question 4

One reason for the prevalence of lawyers in American politics is that __________.

A)lawyers generally have the financial resources required to run for office
B)passing a bar exam is good practice for passing laws in Congress
C)the skills required to be a lawyer are also used in a political career
D)all lawyers represent clients in high-pressure trial cases

Question 5

Politics is increasingly characterized by __________.

A)professionalism
B)institutionalism
C)apprenticeship
D)legalism

Question 6

For elections to serve as policy mandates,__________.

A)voters must cast their ballots on personal appeal
B)the media endorses winning candidate
C)voters must endorse similar candidates in all three branches of government
D)elected officials have to be bound by their campaign promises

Question 7

Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher won the GOP nomination in Ohio's 9th congressional district with no previous political experience.Why was Wurzelbacher not considered a "pure" amateur?

A)He had sufficient campaign funds.
B)He had name recognition.
C)His personal income was high.
D)He owned his own business.

Question 8

During the 2012 election cycle,presidential candidate Mitt Romney attempted to frame himself as the best choice for America's future,appealing to whom?

A)journalists
B)Congress
C)prospective voters
D)retrospective voters

Question 9

When voters support professional office holders,they are also supporting __________.

A)democracy
B)proficiency
C)careerism
D)expertise

Question 10

Half of the people elected to the U.S.Congress are __________.

A)college professors
B)lawyers
C)economists
D)military veterans

Question 11

When a candidate's experience includes 15-20 years in politics,from city council to state and federal legislative bodies,and the person has little or no private sector experience,this is an example of __________.

A)careerism
B)amateurism
C)celebrity
D)franking privilege

Question 12

The practice of voting for or against a candidate or party on the basis of past performance in office is called __________ voting.

A)resurgent
B)invasive
C)retrospective
D)prospective

Question 13

Which type of voting contends that parties not in power are in a better position to offer incentives to voters than parties in power?

A)resurgent
B)prospective
C)retrospective
D)declaratory

Question 14

People who have not worked in politics or public service professions who run for public office are known as __________.

A)citizens
B)amateurs
C)incumbents
D)careerists

Question 15

In the 2008 presidential election,many voters decided against Senator John McCain and the GOP because of Bush era policies.This is an example of __________.

A)retrospective voting
B)progressive voting
C)prospective voting
D)a mandate

Question 16

Incumbents are people who are __________.

A)challenging the person holding the office
B)entering politics for the first time
C)elected for the first time
D)seeking reelection

Question 17

After the 2012 election,President Obama declared he had a mandate,referring to what he perceived as overwhelming support from whom?

A)Congress
B)voters
C)Wall Street
D)the Pentagon

Question 18

Which president signed the Voting Rights Act?

A)Dwight Eisenhower
B)John Kennedy
C)Lyndon Johnson
D)Richard Nixon

Question 19

If a traditionally conservative voter examines a candidate's past performance in office and decides to vote for a Democratic candidate rather than continuing to support the Republican candidate,what voting pattern does this exemplify?

A)retrospective
B)congressional
C)liberal
D)conservative

Question 20

Policy mandates result from elections,allowing voters to direct the course of __________.

A)campaign events
B)political debate
C)public policy
D)campaign funding

Question 21

A campaign manager would be more alarmed by a gaffe her candidate made in a televised appearance than in an attack ad from an opponent because __________.

A)the news media are always looking for mistakes to analyze
B)voters do not like attack ads
C)candidates who make gaffes never get elected
D)voters tend to pay more attention to news coverage than to paid advertisements

Question 22

A photo opportunity that shows a candidate wielding a chain saw to clear brush suggests that he or she __________.

A)can relate to the lives of common folk
B)wants to position himself as an environmentalist
C)is looking for votes from rural regions
D)is aiming for votes from the male side of the gender gap

Question 23

Which advertising track is designed to rebut an opponent's negative attack ads?

A)a negative track
B)a positive track
C)a targeting track
D)a response track

Question 24

According to the box,"The Game,the Rules,the Players," in the 2008 campaign,Barack Obama's "just folks" photo opportunity involved __________.

A)operating a chain saw
B)playing in a pickup basketball game
C)windsurfing
D)doing construction work

Question 25

The voter database that states are required to maintain in order to track voting preferences and frequency is mandated by the 2006 __________.

A)Keep Americans Voting Act
B)Help America Vote Act
C)Get Out the Vote Act
D)Political Participation Act

Question 26

According to the current rules of political engagement,a candidate for office needs to __________.

A)avoid negative advertising at all costs
B)begin advertising early
C)appeal to voters' intellects,not their emotions
D)avoid defining the opponent

Question 27

Elected officials can contact and mobilize voters much more easily because of what communication benefit,which allows for self-promotion?

A)franking privilege
B)challengers
C)voter targeting
D)congressional constituency

Question 28

A political ad touts a candidate's "outsider" status and stresses the need for change.A candidate running such an ad is most likely a(n)__________.

A)challenger
B)incumbent
C)amateur
D)careerist

Question 29

Matthias is running in the Democratic primary for the House of Representatives.Which of these positions is he MOST likely to endorse?

A)critical of global climate change
B)favors sharp tax cuts
C)pro-choice on reproductive rights
D)slashing funding of entitlement programs

Question 30

In a typical election year,what percentage of members of Congress is reelected?

A)70 to 90 percent
B)50 to 70 percent
C)30 to 50 percent
D)10 to 30 percent

Question 31

Using computerized mailing lists,selecting a campaign theme,developing a desirable candidate image,developing voter targeting lists,and continual polling of the voters are all components of __________.

A)political endorsement
B)campaign targets
C)electoral targets
D)campaign strategy

Question 32

In the 2012 election,President Obama was the incumbent,and Mitt Romney was the __________.

A)challenger
B)president-elect
C)debater
D)delegate

Question 33

In politics,getting voters and supporters to work for candidates and turn out on Election Day is called __________.

A)mobilization
B)convincing
C)emblazoning
D)coordinating

Question 34

What is one reason why incumbent senators lose more often than incumbent House members?

A)Senate challengers receive more federal funds than Senate incumbents.
B)Senate challengers typically have greater name recognition than House challengers.
C)Senate races attract less media attention than House races,allowing challengers to fly "under the radar."
D)Historically,the Senate has had more problems with ethics violations than the House.

Question 35

In their impact,campaigns act less to inform all voters than to __________.

A)crush opponents
B)sway undecided voters
C)rally those who already support a candidate
D)force information on voters

Question 36

Which of these is the most important factor in choosing a campaign strategy?

A)party
B)age of the candidate
C)media choices
D)incumbency

Question 37

The use of voting record,polling,and market research data to identify and contact potential likely voters is called __________.

A)voter targeting
B)voter retention
C)voter turnout
D)political initiation

Question 38

Candidates use __________ to select campaign themes in order to influence voters and frame issues to their advantage.

A)attack ads
B)focus groups
C)franking privilege
D)sound bites

Question 39

In the 2004 campaign,a series of attack ads __________.

A)challenged the legitimacy of John Kerry's service in Vietnam
B)suggested George Bush had never graduated from Yale
C)reported that Barack Obama was a Muslim
D)denied that Al Gore had anything to do with creating the Internet

Question 40

When candidates exploit their opponents' weaknesses,they are __________.

A)doing market research
B)engaging in negative campaigning
C)using issue ads
D)franking

Question 41

Issue ads can be used to support candidates indirectly through __________.

A)nonprofit independent groups
B)labor unions
C)political action committees
D)candidate self-financing

Question 42

According to Figure 8.4,in which of the following sections of the United States do Republicans have their greatest strength?

A)the Great Lakes region
B)the South
C)the Northeast
E)the Pacific coast

Question 43

As the cameras flashed,a candidate posed with company officials at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new factory.This is an example of a __________.

A)media moment
B)spot ad
C)photo op
D)sound bite

Question 44

These types of political ads advocate policy positions rather than advise voters to cast their ballots in a particular wa.

A)spot ads
B)response ads
C)issue ads
D)negative ads

Question 45

Voters can directly contribute to the U.S.campaign system through a tax donation that goes to which governmental entity?

A)Congressional Campaign Fund
B)American Elections Department
C)Political Equality Commission
D)Federal Elections Commission

Question 46

Unlike presidential primary elections,general presidential elections focus on the __________.

A)party loyalists
B)campaign contributions
C)safe states
D)Electoral College

Question 47

To win a Senate seat,a person would typically need to spend __________.

A)$2,500 a day
B)roughly $500,000
C)about $1.4 million
D)over $7 million

Question 48

The Internet is useful for fund-raising because __________.

A)small donations add up to be significant
B)it is the best way to keep in touch with big donors
C)it makes large donations possible
D)it pushes illegal contributions out of the campaigns

Question 49

In terms of campaign finance,House races are usually __________.

A)unfinanced
B)not financially competitive
C)financed by taxpayers
D)more expensive than Senate races

Question 50

What is soft money?

A)previously unregulated contributions to political parties
B)small campaign donations,generally under $200
C)money a candidate spends on his or her own campaign
D)funds that independent organization spend on a campaign

Question 51

The only major party presidential nominee in the past century who had not previously held public office was __________.

A)Ronald Reagan
B)George H.W.Bush
C)Lyndon Johnson
D)Dwight Eisenhower

Question 52

How long is the typical paid political television advertisement?

A)15 to 30 seconds
B)30 to 45 seconds
C)45 to 60 seconds
D)60 to 90 seconds

Question 53

Which of the following most likely contributes more to Democratic candidates than to Republican candidates?

A)International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
B)National Association of Realtors
C)AT&T
D)Senate Conservatives Fund

Question 54

Political ads that __________ appear to be the most effective way to swing the opinions of undecided voters.

A)patiently explain the issues
B)appeal to voters' fears
C)are humorous and light-hearted
D)inspire enthusiasm for the candidate

Question 55

The need for free airtime is especially great for __________ candidates.

A)careerist
B)professional
C)incumbent
D)underfunded

Question 56

For members of Congress,small donors typically make up less than _________ percent of their campaign funds.

A)10
B)20
C)30
D)40

Question 57

The key to a candidate's media campaign is __________.

A)news management
B)fundraising
C)negative campaigning
D)finding the right message

Question 58

Which campaign activity occupies more of a candidate's time than any other?

A)giving speeches
B)raising funds
C)meeting with campaign staff
D)appearing on television

Question 59

campaign contributors are overwhelmingly __________.

A)Hispanic women
B)African American women
C)Asian men
D)white men

Question 60

What was the effect of the Supreme Court's ruling in the Citizens United case?

A)Candidates are now free to spend any amount of their own personal funds on a campaign.
B)Corporations and unions must create separate PACs to solicit funds from stockholders or union members for political purposes.
C)Soft-money contributions to federal candidates are strictly limited.
D)Corporations and unions can now spend money directly for political purposes.

Question 61

Entering politics in your early twenties and staying in politics until you retire is an example of careerism.

Question 62

This was the first televised presidential debate.

A)Kennedy-Nixon
B)Truman-Dewey
C)Carter-Ford
D)Reagan-Mondale

Question 63

The term retail politics refers to candidates' __________.

A)direct-mail campaigns
B)supporters going door-to-door
C)image in the media
D)direct contact with voters

Question 64

In the "big-state strategy," a candidate will __________.

A)spend a considerable amount of time directly contacting individual voters
B)focus on winning primaries in large states because of their high delegate counts
C)spend much more money in the early primaries rather than in later ones
D)campaign primarily in states not considered to be firmly in the Democratic or Republican column

Question 65

A mention in the media contributes most directly to __________.

A)getting elected
B)negative campaign strategies
C)campaign finance
D)name recognition

Question 66

Direct candidate contact with individual voters is known as __________ politics.

A)retail
B)spin
C)front-end
D)back-end

Question 67

The Supreme Court decision that gave the 2000 election to George Bush hinged on __________.

A)provisional ballots in New Mexico
B)hand recounts of ballots in Florida
C)contested ballots in New York City
D)ballots from overseas that were lost in the mail

Question 68

Voters in what states receive a majority of political attention during the presidential election process?

A)western states
B)agricultural states
C)swing states
D)industrial states

Question 69

Voters go to precincts and straw vote for the presidential nominee in which caucus state?

A)New Hampshire
B)Iowa
C)Florida
D)Texas

Question 70

Which of the following individuals MOST likely voted for Republican Mitt Romney rather than Democrat Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election?

A)Rebecca,a Jewish schoolteacher
B)Alan,a white college-educated businessman
C)Ericka,an African American store manager
D)Lowell,a union shop factory foreman

Question 71

Elections help protect voters' rights.

Question 72

Candidates who win the presidency automatically have a policy mandate from the voters.

Question 73

What is the first state to hold a presidential primary in an election year?

A)Iowa
B)South Carolina
C)New Hampshire
D)Florida

Question 74

Retrospective voting differs from prospective voting in that the incumbent party is seen as having the best platform and policies for the future.

Question 75

How many electoral votes are needed to win the presidency?

A)225
B)256
C)270
D)300

Question 76

Which of these strategies focuses on the Iowa and New Hampshire results?

A)front-end
B)primary
C)front-loading
D)big-state

Question 77

Retrospective voting is casting votes on the basis of the performance of incumbents,either reelecting them or throwing them out of office.

Question 78

The majority of women voters have traditionally supported which political party?

A)Republican
B)Democratic
C)Libertarian
D)Green

Question 79

How did voters' perceptions of the economy affect the 2012 presidential election?

A)Voters who believed the economy was healthy overwhelmingly favored Barack Obama.
B)Voters who believed the economy was healthy overwhelmingly favored Mitt Romney.
C)Voters who believed the economy was in poor shape decided to stay with the incumbent.
D)Voters satisfied with the economy voted according to party affiliation.

Question 80

Which of the following is a "wedge issue"?

A)women's reproductive rights
B)funding for police and firefighters
C)maintaining bridges and roads
D)testing new medicines for safety