A common belief among political analysts is that someone running for his or her party's nomination for president of the United States must choose a different strategy once the nomination is secured.To be nominated, the candidate must appeal to voters from one party-Democrat or Republican-but in a general election a party's nominee must appeal to voters from both parties as well as independent voters.Which of the following offers the best explanation for this change in strategy?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The change in strategy is best explained by the median voter theorem, which states that in a two-candidate election, the candidate that can appeal to the median voter-the one who holds the balance of power between the two major candidates-will win. To appeal to independent voters and voters from the opposite party, the nominee must move towards the center of the political spectrum and adopt more moderate positions. This is because the median voter tends to hold more moderate views, and candidates who are considered too extreme may alienate this crucial voting bloc.

A Common Belief Among Political Analysts Is That Someone Running