The current race for the Republican presidential nomination is a great example of how Anthony Downs’ median voter theory can dictate campaign strategy. The candidates have to balance the need to win the Republican nomination by exhibiting strong conservative views, especially with the rise of the Tea Party movement, and the need to lay down a solid track record that will appeal to the median voter in the general election.
The two attached links provide analysis of Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry's campaign thus far. According to Washington Post reporter/blogger, Chris Cillizza, Ron Paul has failed to abide by Downs' theory that candidates need to formulate policy to win elections, instead of winning elections to formulate policies. Ron Paul's view on the causes of the 9/11 attacks showed that he was unwilling to compromise his views to attract the most votes. This has helped keep Paul near the bottom in the polls. The Politico article and the NPR article discuss the front-runners Rick Perry and Mitt Romney respective campaign strategies. Rick Perry has come out with a strong conservative campaign that has helped vault him into the lead of the GOP nomination race, while Romney, according to the blogs, has remained less conservative than Perry and therefore more electable in the general election. These articles exhibit the interesting dynamic of trying to win the Republican nomination while also being attractive to the median voter in the general election.
No comments:
Post a Comment