Show:
Primaries, Caucuses & Elections, oh my
The Long and Winding Campaign Trail
Political Party Party
Campaign Finance: all about those Benjamins?
Interest Groups and Mass Media: it's not what ya' know, it's who ya' know
100
An election in which voters choose which party's primary ballot they wish to vote on
What is an open primary?
100
This is the person already holding public office.
What is an incumbent?
100
The act of voting for some Republicans, and some Democrats on the same ballot.
What is split ticket voting?
100
An officially registered fundraising organization that represents interest groups in the political process
What is a PAC (political action committee)?
100

An event staged for the media by the government that looks spontaneous but is a publicity tactic. 

What is a media event?

200

When party members meet to discuss who they will nominate in a four corners like debate.

What is a caucus?

200

This system is partially responsible for the underrepresentation of third parties in the electoral process

What is Winner Take All?

200

This theory suggests that parties should pursue policies based on their parties platform and provide a clear alternative to other parties 

What is the responsible party model 

200

These groups are not limited in the amount of indirect contributions to candidates they make. 

What are Super PACs? 

200

This is a place or specific location where news typically emanates from.  

What are beats? 

300

A common complaint about this institution is that it is an obstacle to the democratic process, favors small states over large ones, and squanders third-party candidates. 

What is the Electoral College?

300

This is the final runoff between the republican and democratic nominees for president that takes place in november. 

What is the general election?

300

James Madison warrened in Fed 10 that factions could potentially cause a division in America. What were his two arguments about how we could control factions? 

What is having a large republic and a representative democracy? 

300

This piece of legislation put limits on soft money contributions by prohibiting PACs from running campaign adds 30 days before primary elections and 60 days before general elections

What is BCRA- Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act or McCain-Feingold Act?  

300

This is the media's ability to control what news is covered and what issues the government is forced to talk about

What is agenda setting?

400

This is primarily responsible for increased focus on particular issues and explains why CNN and Fox News can have 24/7 election coverage.

What is Narrowcasting? 

400

This process describes the battle between states for who gets to have an early date on the primary election calendar. 

What is frontloading?

400

This occurs after a major earthquake election that shakes up the existing structure of power. 

What is party realignment? 

400

These two terms refer to the type of contributions political action committees can and can't make depending on where the money is going. 

What is hard and soft money? 

400

Tactic interest groups use to influence public policy that involves meeting with legislators to convince them to enact policy that is favorable to their interests 

What is lobbying? 

500
A special election initiated by a petition that allows citizens to remove an official before his/her term has expired.
What is a recall election?
500
A vote from this kind of state can alter the course of an election, and candidates typically spend a lot of time and energy here, order to secure the vote.
What is a swing, or battleground state?
500

This is a political party's number one goal

What is winning elections? 

500
In this case in 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that election spending is protected speech, under the 1st Amendment.
What is the significance of Citizen's United?
500

These are the three points to the Iron triangle.

What are interest groups, congress/congressional committees, and bureaucracy?