Deck 4: Making It: the Electoral Game

Question 1

Which of the following strategies is typically employed by challengers in congressional races?

A) invoking wedge issues
B) stressing partisan loyalty
C) sponsoring drives to increase voter turnout
D) underscoring long-standing partisan values

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following strategies is typically employed by incumbents in congressional races?

A) sponsor get-out-the-vote drives
B) downplay partisan differences
C) highlight personalities
D) exploit factional splits in the majority party

Answer 2

A

Question 3

According to Paul Herrnson, candidates must wage two campaigns. What are these two campaigns?

A) constituents and voters
B) safe seats and competitive seats
C) money and votes
D) Democrats and Republicans

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a campaign activity taking place in "the parallel campaign?"

A) A member of Congress splits time between fund-raising and legislative activities.
B) A super PAC buys ad time criticizing a candidate for their views on abortion.
C) A candidate goes door-to-door to speak with voters directly.
D) Volunteers for a campaign make calls from a phone bank to take a push poll.

Question 5

What was the Supreme Court's holding in Buckley v. Valeo (1976)?

A) Campaign speech is protected by the First Amendment even if it is misleading or false.
B) Limits were placed on the amount of time, members can spend campaigning while in office.
C) Campaign ads must be truthful or candidates will be responsible for stiff fines.
D) Campaign contributions and spending are considered free speech protected by the First Amendment.

Question 6

From which of the following sources does the majority of House and Senate campaign money come?

A) individuals
B) PACs
C) political parties
D) personal or family fortunes

Question 7

Which of the following individuals or groups can contribute unlimited funds to a congressional campaign?

A) no individual or group
B) family members of the candidate
C) political parties
D) PACs

Question 8

Which of the following explains why there is a negative correlation between campaign fund-raising and electoral success for incumbents?

A) FEC rules require this pattern of fund-raising and spending.
B) Challengers tend to have less name recognition, meaning their early spending is more cost-effective.
C) Vulnerable incumbents tend to ramp up fund-raising, while safe incumbents need not spend as much time on fund-raising.
D) Incumbents hope to scare off high-quality opponents by overspending.

Question 9

Which of the following strategies is an example of a negative campaign technique?

A) a TV ad focusing on campaign themes
B) newsletters
C) door-to-door canvassing
D) TV ad focusing on the opponent's record or personal character

Question 10

Which of the following is a legal barrier to voting that may decrease voter turnout?

A) Elections held on weekdays may be inconvenient to voters.
B) Citizens must take the initiative to register to vote.
C) Winner-take-all elections may discourage voters who prefer a minor party.
D) Turnout among young people is estimated to be less than 25 percent.

Question 11

Which of the following strategies is an example of "pressing the flesh?"

A) walking tours
B) Internet ads
C) push polls
D) "Oppo" research

Question 12

What is the most common way that voters decide on who to vote for in a particular election?

A) TV ads
B) party loyalty
C) social media
D) attack ads

Question 13

Which of the following groups is least likely to turn out to vote?

A) republicans
B) democrats
C) independents
D) partisan leaners

Question 14

What is the "gender gap" in congressional voting?

A) Women are more likely than men to watch TV ads.
B) Women are more likely than men to run for the US House.
C) Women are more likely than men to turn out to vote in midterm elections.
D) Women are more likely than men to vote for the Democratic candidate.

Question 15

Which of the following is an example of issue uptake?

A) A challenger raises the issue of immigration during a campaign, and the incumbent later sponsors immigration reform.
B) Gun rights activists organize around defeating an assault ban and make independent expenditures in several congressional races.
C) A challenger runs negative campaign ads aimed at a single vote taken by a Senator on campaign finance.
D) A candidate identifies single-issue voters in her district and runs a campaign ad targeted at those voters.

Question 16

Wealthy individuals are much more likely to turn out to vote than are poor individuals.

Question 17

According to "balance theory," midterm loss is explained by voters who hold the president's party responsible for unpopular policies.

Question 18

The Republican Party tends to find its highest levels of support in urban areas.

Question 19

The Supreme Court case Buckley v. Valeo held that campaign contributions and spending are considered free speech.

Question 20

PACs are not able to contribute directly to congressional candidates.

Question 21

Today's voters are as loyal to their professed party identification as they have ever been.

Question 22

Most people who claim to be independent are "closet" partisans who lean toward one party and share most of the attitudes and behaviors of partisans.

Question 23

Old-fashioned campaigns based on armies of volunteers canvassing door-to-door can be effective in contests.

Question 24

Challengers typically raise more money in congressional races than do incumbents.

Question 25

Candidates are required by law to spend all campaign funds raised in a given electoral cycle on their own campaigns.

Question 26

Political science research shows that negative campaign ads are ineffective, despite their popularity.

Question 27

Face-to-face campaign strategies are more effective than television ads.

Question 28

More people vote in presidential elections than in midterm elections.

Question 29

Presidential "coattails" describe the idea that fund-raising tends to be lower in presidential election years.

Question 30

Ticket-splitting has plummeted to less than 10 percent in the last six presidential elections.

Question 31

How do incumbent and challenger strategies differ in congressional campaigns?

Question 32

Why do incumbents have an advantage in congressional elections?

Question 33

What are the advantages of close-contact campaign strategies compared to mass media appeals?

Question 34

What is "outside money" and how does it differ from other campaign spending?

Question 35

What impact has Citizens United had on independent expenditures in congressional campaigns?

Question 36

Why does it tend to be easier for incumbents to raise money for their campaigns, as opposed to challengers?

Question 37

Is fund-raising related to electoral success in congressional campaigns?

Question 38

Compare the benefits and disadvantages of the major campaign strategies. Suppose you are an incumbent House member in a small, rural district that leans slightly toward the opposite party. Which strategies would you invest in and why?

Question 39

Political scientists have identified several reasons for low voting participation in the United States. Outline their major theories and explain which you find most convincing and why.

Question 40

What explains the pattern of midterm loss? Be sure to discuss the three major political science theories and consider their strengths and weaknesses in making your argument.