Publication date:

24 July 2006

Length of book:

202 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Dimensions:

235x182mm
7x9"

ISBN-13: 9780742553491

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.
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.