What does it take to win the White House? This book helps students understand both the issues and how and why people vote for one candidate. After discussing the dynamics of the primary campaigns, the authors examine three broad sets of issues that play a key role in voting: foreign policy, domestic policies, and the culture wars. This sets the foundations for an examination of regional similarities and differences in voting patterns, as the varying salience and valence of issues-whether general or specific-is explored across and within regions. Special attention is paid to battleground states. Drawing on concepts from political science, this book advances students' understanding both of the field and the phenomenon.

Autorentext
KEVIN J. McMAHON is John R. Reitemeyer Associate Professor and Chair of Political Science at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. **** **** DAVID RANKIN is Associate Professor of Political Science at the State University of New York, Fredonia, USA. DONALD W. BEACHLER is Associate Professor of Politics at Ithaca College, USA. **** **** JOHN KENNETH WHITE is Professor of Politics at the Catholic University of America, USA.

Inhalt
PART I: THE NOMINATION A Campaign To Remember PART II: THE ISSUES It was the Economy, Mostly The Foreign Policy Election That Wasn't Searching for the Social Issue PART III: THE REGIONS The Northeast: Blue, Deep Blue The South: Winking at Dixie The Midwest: Middle America's Margins The West: On the Electoral Frontier