Dancing without Partners: How Candidates, Parties, and Interest Groups Interact in the Presidential Campaign(Campaigning American Style)

Political parties, interest groups, and candidate campaigns all pursue similar goals in presidential elections: each entity attempts to mobilize voters. However, the regulatory environment often prevents these groups from coordinating their efforts. With participants playing by new rules mandated by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, the 2004 presidential election included previously unseen configurations and alliances between political actors. In some campaign situations, the resulting "dance" was carefully choreographed. In others, dancers stepped on each other's toes. In still others, participants could only eye each other across the floor. Dancing without Partners intensively analyzes the relationships among candidates, political parties, and interest groups under the BCRA's new regulations in the 2004 election cycle in five battleground states. The chapters assess the ways in which the rules of the game have changed the game itself—and also how they haven't. The result is a book that will be invaluable to researchers and students of presidential elections.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Something to Prove: The Florida Presidential Campaign of 2004 Chapter 3 The Impact of BCRA on the Presidential Nomination Process: The 2004 Iowa Caucuses Chapter 4 Taking It to the Streets: The Iowa Presidential Campaign of 2004 Chapter 6 The Candidates Depart But the Dance Goes On: The 2004 Presidential Race in Missouri Chapter 7 The Battle for Ohio: The 2004 Presidential Campaign Chapter 7 The Battle for Five Electoral Votes: The New Mexico Presidential Campaign of 2004 Chapter 8 The Morning After: The Lingering Effects of a Night Spent Dancing

About the Author :
David B. Magleby is dean of the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences, and distinguished professor of political science at Brigham Young University. J. Quin Monson is assistant professor of political science and assistant director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University. Kelly Patterson is associate professor of political science and director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University.

Review :
This excellent collection of fresh analysis by leading scholars of American campaigns and elections provides an in-depth evaluation of the effects of campaign strategy, campaign finance, and the BCRA on the 2004 election. This book should be read by university students, academics, candidates, and voters of all stripes. Recommended. Magleby, Monson, and Patterson's collection of essays on the ways in which interest groups, parties and candidate campaigns interact in the current electoral context is indispensable reading for any scholar studying modern elections and perfect for any class on Parties and Elections.