Question 1

What accounts for the greatest portion of most presidential candidates' spending?

Accepted Answer

Television ads are the biggest expense for most presidential campaigns as they are one of the most effective ways to reach a large audience. Mass mailings and flying around the country to attend events can also be significant expenses, but are generally outweighed by the cost of advertising on television. Salaries for staff and pollsters may also be a large expense, but are typically a smaller portion of the overall campaign budget.

Question 2

Campaigns that target their message to specialized "niche" audiences are engaging in:

Accepted Answer

Narrowcasting is the practice of targeting specific messages to a highly specialized audience, rather than broadcasting a general message to a broad audience. This approach allows campaigns to tailor their messages to the specific interests and concerns of their intended audience, which can be more effective in persuading them to take action or support a particular candidate or cause.

Question 3

Challengers usually do better in elections if they campaign on:

Accepted Answer

Challengers often focus on issues that are strongly associated with their party, or "owned" by their party, as this can help them to differentiate themselves from incumbents and appeal to their base. This strategy can be particularly effective when the incumbent is perceived to be weak on these issues.

Question 4

Sending personalized letters to millions of people who might be inclined to support a campaign is called:

Accepted Answer

Direct mail refers to the practice of sending physical letters or printed materials directly to prospective supporters or customers. This method of advertising tends to be more targeted and personalized than other forms of mass advertising, such as broadcast advertising or pop-up ads. Phishing is a completely different practice used to deceive people into giving up personal information, and is not related to campaign advertising.

Question 5

An advantage of using the broadcast media to run campaign ads is that:

Accepted Answer

Broadcast media such as TV and radio have the ability to reach a large audience efficiently, making it a cost-effective way to disseminate campaign ads to the masses. Specialized targeting can be achieved through other means such as digital media. Option A is incorrect because it refers to specialized targeting, which is not a strong advantage of broadcast media. Option C is also incorrect because running ads on broadcast media can be quite expensive, particularly during peak viewing times. Option D is not a strong advantage because campaign ads typically have a singular message they want to communicate, rather than different messages for different groups of people.

Question 6

Urging social media friends to share campaign news is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Sharing campaign news through social media friends can help spread the message quickly and at a low cost, making it an example of viral marketing.

Question 7

House-to-house canvassing and phone calls that permit communication with a selected group of people is known as:

Accepted Answer

House-to-house canvassing and phone calls are both examples of direct voter contact, which is part of the ground game or ground war strategy. The other options listed are different marketing strategies that do not involve direct communication with a selected group of people.

Question 8

During the past few national election campaigns:

Accepted Answer

Both Democrats and Republicans have won "wave" elections in recent national election campaigns. This means that one party won a significant number of seats in Congress and gained control of either the House or the Senate. For example, in the 2010 midterms, Republicans won a wave election and gained control of the House of Representatives, while in the 2018 midterms, Democrats won a wave election and gained control of the House. This trend shows that neither party has consistently dominated in recent elections.

Question 9

Which of the following is true with respect to whether campaigns affect election results?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that canvassing, or going door-to-door to encourage people to vote, can have a small but significant impact on voter turnout. Other campaign tactics, such as advertising and direct mail, may also have some effect on voter turnout and persuasion, but the overall impact is often difficult to measure. While debates may generate media coverage and attention, studies have found that they typically have only a limited impact on election outcomes.

Question 10

Bringing supporters to a central location with telephones to dial lists of numbers identified by the campaign's micro-targeting is known as:

Accepted Answer

The activity described is phone banking, where supporters are brought to a central location and use telephones to dial lists of numbers identified by the campaign's micro-targeting. Push polling refers to a deceptive form of polling used to spread negative information about an opponent, robo-calling refers to automated calls made by a computer system, and canvassing involves going door-to-door to meet and persuade voters.

Question 11

Attack messages disguised as public opinion calls, often done as part of a robo-call, are known as:

Accepted Answer

Attack messages disguised as public opinion calls are known as push polling.

Question 12

After individuals have made their vote choices, attack ads are more likely to:

Accepted Answer

Attack ads are designed to decrease support for the opposing candidate, not necessarily increase support for their own candidate. This can lead to voters feeling disillusioned or frustrated with politics, and therefore less likely to vote at all. This effect is likely to be stronger among individuals who are not strong partisans, as they may be less motivated to vote in the first place.

Question 13

Midterm (congressional) election voters are more likely to be:

Accepted Answer

Midterm election voters tend to be white, older, and wealthier compared to those who vote in general elections. This demographic shift is attributed to various factors, including higher levels of political engagement and consistent voting habits among older and wealthier populations.

Question 14

Which of the following has been found to be more effective in activating voters than phone contact?

Accepted Answer

Door-to-door canvassing has been found to be the most effective method in activating voters, as it allows for more personalized interactions and has a higher response rate than phone contact or campaign mailings. Push-polling is not an effective method for activating voters, as it is a manipulative technique used to sway opinions rather than mobilize voters.

Question 15

One important effect of candidate-centered campaigns is that:

Accepted Answer

Candidate-centered campaigns allow candidates to form alliances with interest groups and give these groups more influence in public policy. This is because candidates are free to align themselves with groups that have shared interests and can mobilize their supporters to vote for the candidate. This can lead to policy decisions that favor the interest groups over other constituents.

Question 16

The use of text messaging by campaigns

Accepted Answer

Text messaging by campaigns is primarily directed at younger voters. This is because younger voters are more likely to use texting as a means of communication compared to other age groups. Text messaging can be a cost-effective way to reach a large number of people quickly, but it is still not used as frequently as other forms of communication such as email and social media. Additionally, text messaging cannot be anonymous as every message is linked to a specific phone number. Finally, text messaging is allowed in federal elections but there are certain regulations and restrictions that must be followed.

Question 17

Donald Trump's winning the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 shows that:

Accepted Answer

Trump's victory in the Republican primaries showed that party leaders' endorsements and preferences did not necessarily dictate the choices of primary voters. Despite numerous high-profile Republican leaders opposing his candidacy, Trump was able to secure the nomination by appealing to a significant portion of the party's base who were attracted to his outsider status and populist messaging. This highlights the importance of understanding the preferences and priorities of primary voters and the ability of candidates to appeal directly to them, rather than relying solely on the support of party leaders or establishment figures.

Question 18

Define each of the following and briefly explain why it is relevant to the study of political parties.
-Micro-targeting.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define each of the following and briefly...

Question 19

Define each of the following and briefly explain why it is relevant to the study of political parties.
-The "air war."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define each of the following and briefly...

Question 20

Define each of the following and briefly explain why it is relevant to the study of political parties.
-The "ground war."

Accepted Answer

The answer of Define each of the following and briefly...

Quiz 11: The General Election

What accounts for the greatest portion of most presidential candidates' spending?

Campaigns that target their message to specialized "niche" audiences are engaging in:

Challengers usually do better in elections if they campaign on:

Sending personalized letters to millions of people who might be inclined to support a campaign is called:

An advantage of using the broadcast media to run campaign ads is that:

Urging social media friends to share campaign news is an example of:

House-to-house canvassing and phone calls that permit communication with a selected group of people is known as:

During the past few national election campaigns:

Which of the following is true with respect to whether campaigns affect election results?

Bringing supporters to a central location with telephones to dial lists of numbers identified by the campaign's micro-targeting is known as:

Attack messages disguised as public opinion calls, often done as part of a robo-call, are known as:

After individuals have made their vote choices, attack ads are more likely to:

Midterm (congressional) election voters are more likely to be:

Which of the following has been found to be more effective in activating voters than phone contact?

One important effect of candidate-centered campaigns is that:

The use of text messaging by campaigns

Donald Trump's winning the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 shows that:

Define each of the following and briefly explain why it is relevant to the study of political parties. -Micro-targeting.

Define each of the following and briefly explain why it is relevant to the study of political parties. -The "air war."

Define each of the following and briefly explain why it is relevant to the study of political parties. -The "ground war."