Candidate Emergence

1
Candidate Emergence Party (?) Recruitment

Katherine Harris R Fmr. FL Sec. of State
Heath Shuler D-NC
2
Challengers To Run or Not to Run
Institutional Factors filing deadlines, filing
fees signature requirements list, campaign
finance laws Structural Factors
socio-economic/partisan makeup of the district,
media market maps, overlap with lower offices,
INCUMBENT running for re-election or NOT?
Political Climate timing! recent partisan
trends in the district, national partisan
tides, whether there is an anti-incumbent
mood Post-Watergate elections in 1970s 1992
and 1994 elections 2006 elections
3
Incumbents To Retire or NOT

• In addition to Institutional, Structural,
  Political Factors
• Do I have funding ADVANTAGE over challenger?
• PERKS of the office ? an incentive to run
  again
• Whats my HOME STYLE connect w/ constituents
• Was my seat recently REDISTRICTED ?
• Have I been involved in a political SCANDAL ?
• What does my FAMILY have to say about it ?
• How is my HEALTH recently ?
• Can I make more elsewhere ? revolving door
• Political AMBITION what is my career ladder ?

4
Political Career Ladders
President of the United States U.S. Senator or
Governor ? U.S. House Member Other Statewide
Official State Legislator Local Elected
Official NO POLITICAL EXPERIENCE! amateur
5
Challenger Quality
U.S. Senator or Governor 6 U.S. House Member
5 Other Statewide Official 4 State
Legislator 3 Local Elected Official
2 Party Official 1 NO POLITICAL EXPERIENCE!
amateur 0 ------- MULTIPLY by of the
state pop. represented! WHAT ABOUT
CELEBRITIES???
6
Who are Members of Congress?
- occupations
- of women
- member religion
Ch.3 Anatomy of a Campaign
mark of a successful challenger table 3-1
campaign budget s fig. 3-1