The Politics of Congressional Elections is the most authoritative and accessible introduction available on congressional elections and the electoral process. By pairing historical data analysis and original research with fundamental concepts of representation and responsibility, Carson and Jacobson help students develop the tools to evaluate Congress, as well as their own role in the electoral process.
The eleventh edition offers an engaging examination of congressional candidates, campaigns, and elections by incorporating coverage of the most recent elections and the changing roles of voters, incumbents, challengers, and campaign contributions. This edition also highlights the impact of the January 6th insurrection, inflation and the economy, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, infrastructure legislation, and the narrowing majorities in both chambers. Brought completely up-to-date with the latest data from the American National Election Study, the Cooperative Election Study, and the Federal Election Commission, and including coverage and analysis of the 2020 and 2022 elections, this seminal work continues to offer a systematic account of what goes on in congressional elections. Moreover, the authors’ framing demonstrates how electoral politics reflect and shape other components of the American political system, with profound consequences for representative government.
Key revision highlights include:
Updated coverage through the 2022 elections including congressional primaries Expanded analysis of campaign finance and voter behavior in recent elections Updated figures and tables, with color versions available in the e-book and PowerPoint slides Greater emphasis on nationalized politics and a return to more party-centered elections Enhanced analysis of congressional elections data back to the pre–Civil War era.
By:
Jamie L. Carson,
Gary C. Jacobson
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield
Country of Publication: United States
Edition: Eleventh Edition
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 154mm,
Spine: 19mm
Weight: 494g
ISBN: 9781538176733
ISBN 10: 1538176734
Pages: 358
Publication Date: 21 August 2023
Recommended Age: From 18 to 22 years
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
List of Figures List of Tables Preface 1. Introduction 2. The Context The Constitutional Framework Congressional Districts Partisan Gerrymandering Redistricting between Censuses Racial Gerrymandering Bipartisan Gerrymanders The Republican Advantage in House Districts States as Electoral Units Election Laws Political Parties Social and Political Contexts Conclusion 3. Congressional Candidates The Incumbency Factor Measuring the Value of Incumbency The Vanishing Marginals Sources of the Incumbency Advantage The Institutional Characteristics of Congress Changes in Voting Behavior Constituency Service The Variability of the Incumbency Advantage Discouraging the Opposition Money in Congressional Elections The Connection between Money and Success Why Campaign Money Is More Important to Challengers Than to Incumbents The Career in the District Motivating Challengers 4. Congressional Campaigns Campaign Money Contributions to Candidates PACs PACs and the Pivotal 1994 Election Party Money Contributions from Other Members of Congress Self-Financing by Candidates Fund-Raising Tactics and Donors Independent, Voter-Education, and Issue-Advocacy Campaigns Campaign Organizations Campaign Strategies Campaign Media Personal Campaigning Campaign Messages Challengers’ Campaigns Going Negative Incumbents’ Campaigns Candidates for Open Seats Senate Campaigns Manipulating Turnout Conclusion 5. Congressional Voters Turnout in Congressional Elections Who Votes? Partisanship in Congressional Elections Alternative Interpretations of Party Identification Partisanship and Voting Partisanship and Incumbency Information and Voting Recall and Recognition of Candidates Contacting Voters Changing Evaluations of Incumbents 6. National Politics and Congressional Elections Political Interpretations of Congressional Elections Models of Aggregate Congressional Election Results Presidential Coattails National Conditions and Strategic Politics Campaign Themes House Elections, 1992–2022 1992–2000 2002–2010 2012-2020 The 2022 Midterm Election Senate Elections, 1992–2022 1992–2000 2002–2010 2012-2020 The 2022 Senate Elections Conclusion 7. Elections, Representation, and the Politics of Congress Representation Policy Congruence Constituents, Interests, and Causes Representation by Referendum Descriptive Representation Policy Consequences Particularism Serving the Organized Responsiveness without Responsibility The Congressional Parties: Decline and Revival The Revival of Party Cohesion, 1980–2022 Ideological Polarization in Congress and the Electorate Polarization in Presidential Support Party Polarization: The Electoral Connection Diverging Electoral Constituencies Chicken or Egg? The Downside of Strong Party Government The Public’s Evaluations of Congress Reforming Congress Term Limits 2024 and Beyond: Geography, Demography, and Nationalized Politics Bibliography Index About the Authors
Jamie L. Carson is the UGA Athletic Association Professor of Public and International Affairs II in the Department of Political Science at the University of Georgia. He received his PhD from Michigan State University in 2003, where he was a fellow in the Political Institutions and Public Choice Program. Carson’s research interests include American politics with a specific emphasis on the U.S. Congress, congressional elections, separation of powers, and American political development. His most recent books include Nationalized Politics: Evaluating Electoral Politics Across Time (with Joel Sievert and Ryan Williamson) and Change and Continuity in the 2020 and 2022 Elections (with John Aldrich, Brad Gomez, and Jennifer Merolla). Gary C. Jacobson is Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego. He received his PhD from Yale University in 1972 and has served on the Council of the American Political Science Association and on the Board of Overseers of National Election Studies. Jacobson's field of interest is American national politics, with a subfield focus on Congress and congressional elections, and his current research is on the electoral basis of partisan polarization in Congress. Among books he has authored or coauthored are Money in Congressional Elections, The Electoral Origins of Divided Government, and The Logic of American Politics.
Reviews for The Politics of Congressional Elections
Carson and Jacobson's The Politics of Congressional Elections remains the gold standard in texts about legislative elections and their implications. This edition, updated to include the 2022 midterm cycle, offers important insight into the increasing nationalization of elections and the effects of these dynamics on how Congress does (and does not) work. It is a must-read for students and scholars alike.--Tracy Sulkin, University of Illinois The Politics of Congressional Elections once again provides simple, straightforward, yet detailed, analysis of a complex and ever-changing electoral environment. This book continues to be a must-read for anyone interested in congressional elections and their influence on all facets of American politics.--Sarah Treul, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Carson and Jacobson offer the most up-to-date and comprehensive treatment of congressional elections available. Full of analyses that are both interesting to specialists and accessible to non-specialists, the text illuminates key developments and puts them in historical context. Readers will learn not just what has changed in congressional elections but why it matters for national politics and policy.--Frances E. Lee, Princeton University Carson and Jacobson provide the definitive account of congressional elections and how they influence the larger American political system. The authors have done a commendable job of balancing both rigor and approachability such that the text can be of value to both researchers and students alike. The updates to this most recent edition ensure that Carson and Jacobson will be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the contemporary Congress and its electoral politics.--Joel Sievert, Texas Tech University The Politics of Congressional Elections has long been a valuable resource for scholars, students, and anyone else interested in elections. This edition is no exception as Carson and Jacobson provide thorough, thoughtful, and accessible analyses and discussions on a wide range of topics.--Ryan Williamson, Auburn University
