A Level Politics – The Electoral Process And Direct Democracy- US Elections: Core Voters, Campaign Finance, and Reform

A Level Politics – The Electoral Process And Direct Democracy- US Elections: Core Voters, Campaign Finance, and Reform

This study guide summarizes key aspects of US elections, focusing on core voter groups and campaign finance.

I. Core Voter Groups

A. Definition: Core voter groups are the bedrock of each party's support. They consistently vote for a particular party.

B. Importance: Parties rely heavily on core voters but cannot be dominated by them. Winning national elections requires broader appeal. The challenge is balancing the needs of core voters with those of more moderate and independent voters. Alienating either group risks electoral defeat; core voters might "defect to abstention" if ignored.

C. Key Groups & Policy Objectives (Table 18.3):

Core Voting Group	Party	Key Policies
White Evangelical Christians	Republican	Pro-life, pro-Israel, traditional social values (opposing LGBTQ+ and transgender rights)
Gun Owners	Republican	Second Amendment defense, opposition to gun control
African Americans	Democrat	Civil rights, opposing voter suppression, fair policing, poverty reduction
Public Sector Labor Unions	Democrat	Minimum wage increases, public service investment, worker rights protection

D. The Hispanic Vote ("Sleeping Giant"): A large and growing voting bloc, but less firmly aligned than other racial minorities. Sub-group variations exist (e.g., Cuban-Americans vs. Mexican-Americans) significantly impacting voting patterns.

E. Balancing Core Voter Needs: Successful politicians like Obama balance core group needs with broader concerns. Obama's healthcare reform avoided radical approaches to maintain support from groups like the Culinary Workers Union, who opposed Sanders' "Medicare for All" plan due to potential impacts on negotiated healthcare benefits.

II. Campaign Finance

A. High Costs: US elections are incredibly expensive. The 2020 election cost nearly $14 billion, exceeding the GDP of some countries. This includes presidential and congressional races, with significant spending concentrated in competitive races.

B. Sources of Funding:

• Self-Funding: Wealthy candidates can contribute significantly to their own campaigns (e.g., Bloomberg, Trump). Advantages include independence from donors but risks alienating voters who perceive it as buying elections.
• Donations: Includes "hard money" (direct donations to candidates, limited by law) and "soft money" (indirect spending to promote or attack candidates, largely unregulated).
• Political Action Committees (PACs): Support groups that can donate to candidates (up to $5,000). Leadership PACs are used by established politicians to support others.
• Super PACs: Can raise and spend unlimited amounts independently of candidates' campaigns.
• Federal Government Funding: Minimal; matching funds were once offered but rarely used.

C. Where the Money Goes: Primarily on staffing (political strategists, web designers, etc.), offices, travel, television and social media advertising (especially in swing states).

D. Does Money Win Elections? While a high correlation exists between spending and winning, it's not a guaranteed relationship. Incumbents often have an advantage, and high spenders can lose (e.g., Clinton in 2016). Often, money follows likely winners, and access to lawmakers is highly valued. Highly ideological groups channel funds to candidates sharing their views, while others prioritize likely winners and may split donations between parties (e.g., National Association of Realtors).

E. Incumbency Advantage: Incumbents typically raise and spend significantly more than challengers and tend to win more often.

F. Campaign Finance Reform Debate:

• Arguments for Reform: Current system leads to uncontrolled spending, distracts representatives from their duties, favors wealthy candidates/interests, fosters corruption, and allows for "dark money" (non-disclosed donations). Reform needed to address loopholes and unequal access.
• Arguments Against Reform: Campaign finance is part of free speech; candidates must still consider broader voter opinion; regulations are circumvented; wealthy individuals will always find ways to influence elections.

III. Knowledge Check Answers

18. What is a core voter group? A core voter group is a segment of the electorate that consistently votes for a particular political party, forming the bedrock of that party's support.

19. Why must parties maintain a delicate balance between core voter groups and other voters? Parties need to keep their core voters engaged, but winning requires appealing to a broader electorate including moderate and independent voters. Ignoring either group risks losing an election; core voters may choose not to participate if their interests are overlooked.

IV. Activities & Further Research

The provided text suggests several activities for deeper understanding:

• Research the high cost of the Georgia Senate runoff elections in 2021.
• Research Supreme Court cases (Buckley v. Valeo, McCutcheon, Bennett) related to campaign finance.
• Discuss whether US campaign finance should be more tightly regulated.

This study guide aims to provide a structured overview of the complex topics covered in the text. Remember to review the original text for complete details and context.