2012 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY QUIZ

2012 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIESList NAME and POLITICAL POSITION (if any) s/he currently/most recently held

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

1.

2012 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIESList NAME and POLITICAL POSITION s/he currently/most recently held

1. 2. 3.

4. 5.Herman CainBusiness Executive

Ron PaulU.S. Representative from Texas

Newt GingrichSpeaker of the House: Georgia

1.

2012 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIESList NAME and POLITICAL POSITION s/he currently/most recently held

4. 5. 6.

Rick PerryGovernor of Texas

Rick SantorumSenator of Pennsylvania

Michele BachmannU.S. Representative from Minnesota

Mitt Romney

• Governor of Massachusetts• 2003-2007

Presidential Primaries (Jan-Aug)• Primaries or Caucuses

• GOAL: one candidate from each party.

• States choose which candidate they support.

• Send DELEGATES to National Convention to vote for candidate

2008 Election: Caucus or Primary

Primary• Similar to general election voting• Private, individual process• 5 minute process• Preferred by most states.

Caucus• Group meetings (1000+ at precincts)• Discuss, debate, eventually vote• Fewer caucuses than primaries

Primaries

• Closed Primaries• Voting only open to

registered party members

• Open Primaries• Registered voters

can vote for any candidate.

Delegate Distribution

• Democrats: Proportional System• 15% Threshold

• Republicans: Mostly winner-takes-all• Some proportional

Primary Schedule: Important Dates• Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary

• Only 1.5% of delegates• Traditionally

first caucus

and primary• Creates

momentum;

media

attention

2004 Democratic Primaries

John Kerry• Vietnam Veteran• Massachusetts Senator

John Edwards• Malpractice Attorney• North Carolina Senator

Howard Dean• Medical Doctor• Vermont Governor

Super Tuesday

Approximately 30% of delegates

Frontloading

• States set primary date earlier on calendar.

PROS• Media attention• Focus on state’s issues.• Candidate Selected early.

CONS• Later Primaries?• Less Vetting

NATIONAL CONVENTION

• Delegates select candidate.

• Party platform.

• Rally the party.

• Democrats and Superdelegates• Elected officials and party

leaders.• Non-binding• 20% of convention vote.

Campaign Staff: Volunteers

Voter Canvassing• Direct solicitation for support. • Phone Banks• Booths at fairs• Door-to-door

• Get Out the Vote campaigns

(GOTV)

Campaign Staff: Professionals• Campaign Manager

• Chief Coordinator• Strategy and message• Day-to-day operations

• Financial Chair• Pollster

• Public Opinion

• Communications Director• Media Strategy

• Press Secretary• Campaign Consultants

• Private-sector agencies

• Personal Advisers

Choosing a Running Mate

“BALANCING THE TICKET”

Delegate Count 2118 Needed

2008 for Victory• Jan. 29 232 158• Feb. 5 818 730 (Super Tues.)

• Feb. 12 1211 1253• MD 36% (28) 61% (42) Feb 12

• Virginia 35% (29) 64% (54) Feb 12

• Mar. 4 1424 1520 (Ohio, Texas)

• Apr. 22 1586 1719• PA 55% (85) 45% (73) Apr 22

• End 1896 2201