The Other Campaign: Soft Money and Issue Advocacy in the 2000 Congressional Elections

In the wake of the Enron and World Com debacle, campaign finance reform has once again ascended to the top of the congressional agenda. Outside money - party soft money as well as special interest dollars - continues to influence election results and affect public policy even as its sources remain obscure. In The Other Campaign, David B. Magleby and his contributors follow the money trail to show a different side of electoral politics - beyond the bandboxes and stump speeches and into the inner workings of sophisticated campaign communications and noncandidate campaigning. Focusing on 9 highly competitive races in both the House and Senate, this book shows the positive and negative effects of outside money and enlightens the debate over campaign finance reform with its extensive and original data analysis. Visit our website for sample chapters!

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 1 The Importance of Outside Money in Competitive Congressional Campaigns Chapter 2 2 Party Soft Money in the 2000 Congressional Elections Chapter 3 3 Interest Groups in the 2000 Congressional Elections Chapter 4 4 Independent Expenditures and Internal Communications in the 2000 Congressional Elections Chapter 5 5 The 2000 Michigan Senate Race Chapter 6 6 The 2000 Virginia Senate Race Chapter 7 7 The Montana 2000 Senate and House Races Chapter 8 8 Opening the Floodgates: Campaigning without Scarcity in the 2000 California Twenty-Seventh Congressional District Race Chapter 9 9 The 2000 Michigan Eighth Congressional District Race Chapter 10 10 The 2000 New Jersey Twelfth District Congressional District Race Chapter 11 11 The 2000 Pennsylvania Fourth Congressional District Race Chapter 12 12 The 2000 Washington Second Congressional District Race Chapter 13 13 Conclusions and Implications for Future Elections Part 14 Appendix A List of Interviews

About the Author :
David B. Magleby is dean, College of Family, Home and Social Sciences, and distinguished professor of political science at Brigham Young University.

Review :
By providing the most complete and in-depth account available of the impact of outside money in key competitive House and Senate races that in 2000 determined party control of Congress, Magleby and his associates provide invaluable and fresh insights into the realities of the electoral process-the expanded role of parties and soft money, the differences between the Republican and Democratic parties, the growing importance of issue advocacy, and the impact of party allied groups. This well-documented analysis of party, interest group, and candidate activities will force political scientists, journalists, and citizens to reexamine how they view the electoral process. It also provides essential information for dealing with a major issue of public policy-campaign finance reform. A must-read for students of parties and elections. -- John F. Bibby, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee The Other Campaign provides important data and keen insights into how soft money and issue advocacy impact competitive congressional elections. Among the implications of the surge in outside money are reduced candidate accountability, less effective disclosure, and more negative campaigns. This is an important book for all who care about the viability of elections and democracy. -- Senator Jim Jeffords In my work on campaign finance reform, I came to know Dr. Magleby as an academic leader in charting the largely uncharted waters of outside money in political campaigns. With the veritable explosion of these expenditures for which so little disclosure isrequired, Dr. Magleby's contributions to our knowledge on this subject are all the more importantttt -- Senator Olympia Snowe Unlike the typical edited volume, The Other Campaign is a coherent project, in which Magleby and his colleagues seek to better understand this extremely important topic. A good source for Congress and campaign specialists. CHOICE Provides the most detailed accounting ever of the role of soft money and issue advocacy in congressional elections. This is a well-edited volume with a very carefully orchestrated design. It offers new insights to students of congressional elections and campaign finance. Perspectives on Politics The Other Campaign, by focusing on closely contested races, details all of the recent changes in congressional elections writ large-the increasing costs of funding them, the greater involvement of national party committees and interest groups in them, and the growing freedom of money funding them from legislated limits or public disclosure. No one seriously concerned with reforming American campaigns or their financing can afford to ignore this book. -- Frank J. Sorauf, University of Minnesota In my work on campaign finance reform, I came to know Dr. Magleby as an academic leader in charting the largely uncharted waters of outside money in political campaigns. With the veritable explosion of these expenditures for which so little disclosure is required, Dr. Magleby's contributions to our knowledge on this subject are all the more important -- Senator Olympia Snowe