Road to the White House 2024

Stephen Wayne is an Emeritus Professor of Government at Georgetown University. He is a Washington insider who has written many books and articles on the presidency and presidential elections. A frequent source for journalists covering American politics, he often appears on television and radio news programs, conducts seminars for senior federal executives and international visitors, and lectures at many universities in the United States and abroad.

The Road to the White House is required reading for any academic, student, journalist, or lay-person interested in understanding how the United States chooses candidates and elects presidents. And like a fine wine, it gets better over time with each new version.

• Part One. The Electoral ArenaChapter 1. Presidential Selection: A Historical OverviewThe Creation of the Electoral CollegeThe Development of Nominating SystemsCongressional CaucusesNational Nominating ConventionsPopular Primaries and CaucusesThe Evolution of the General ElectionPartisan ElectorsCongressional DecisionsJudicial DeterminationOther Close ElectionsThe Politics of Electoral College VotingSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsChapter 2. Campaign FinanceThe Rising Costs of Running for PresidentThe Regulation of Campaign FinanceThe Federal Election Campaign ActThe Buckley v. Valeo DecisionThe Soft Money Loophole and Other AmendmentsThe Bipartisan Campaign Reform ActThe Court’s Citizens United DecisionThe Money ExplosionCandidate RevenuesFederal FundsCampaign ExpendituresMoney and Electoral SuccessSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsChapter 3. The Political EnvironmentTurnoutThe Evolution of Voting in American ElectionsComparative Turnout in Other CountriesInfluences on TurnoutTurnout and DemocracyTurnout and PartisanshipThe Partisan Basis of PoliticsVoting BehaviorShifts in PartisanshipThe Social Basis of PoliticsThe New Deal RealignmentEvolving Political Coalitions: 1950–70Electoral Coalitions: The Last Forty YearsSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsPart Two. The NominationChapter 4. Party Rules and Their ImpactReforming the Nomination Process: Democrats Take the InitiativeFixing the CalendarImproving RepresentationEmpowering the LeadershipRepublican ReformsLegality of Party RulesThe Impact of the Rule ChangesTurnoutRepresentationParty Organization and LeadershipWinners and LosersSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsChapter 5. Campaigning for the NominationBasic Strategic GuidelinesPlan Far AheadConcentrate Efforts in the Early ContestsRaise and Spend Big BucksGain Media AttentionDevelop an OrganizationMonitor Public OpinionDesign and Target a Distinctive Image and MessageMake Effective Use of Communication TechnologiesCoordinating Strategy with Candidacy StatusCampaigning as Front-RunnerCampaigning as a Non-Front-RunnerCampaigning as a Pulpit CandidateSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsChapter 6. The Post-Primary CampaignThe Noncompetitive Preconvention PhaseHealing Partisan DiscordRepositioning and Reprioritizing the IssuesRepairing Leadership ImagesGaining the Stature of an IncumbentPicking the Vice Presidential NomineePlanning for the ConventionConvention Controversies in Historical PerspectiveContemporary Conventions: Composition, Content, Communications, and ImpactOratoryThemesPlatformNews Media CoverageAssessing the Conventions’ Impact on the ElectorateCharacteristics of the NomineesSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsPart Three. The General Election CampaignChapter 7. Strategy, Tactics, and OperationsThe Evolution of Presidential CampaignsFrom Porch to TrainFrom Rally to Radio and TelevisionFrom Art to Science: The Digital RevolutionStrategic PlanningPartisanshipSalient IssuesLeadership ImageryDealing with IncumbencyBuilding a Winning Electoral College CoalitionStrategic ExecutionOrganizationThe Public DimensionField OfficesData AnalysisSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsChapter 8. Media PoliticsThe Mass Media and Electoral Politics: An OverviewPrint MediaTelevisionThe InternetTraditional News CoverageHorse Race JournalismNewsworthiness: Bad News Is “Good” NewsStory LinesImpactPresidential DebatesHistoryPreparationImpactCampaign AdvertisingFormat and ToneEmotive ContentAccuracy and TruthfulnessDigital Communication ControversiesForeign InterferenceUse and Abuse of Personal DataSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsPart Four. The Election: Its Meaning and ConsequencesChapter 9. Understanding Presidential ElectionsPredicting Presidential ElectionsForecasting ModelsPre-election PollingElection-Night Reporting and Analyses of Exit PollsInterpreting the Election ResultsModels of Voting BehaviorExplaining Presidential Election Results: 1952–2016Converting Electoral Choice into Public PolicyThe President’s Imprecise MandateCampaign Expectations and Presidential PerformanceTransitioning into OfficeSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsChapter 10. Reforming the Electoral SystemImproving the Selection ProcessParty RulesCampaign FinanceInforming the ElectorateTraditional News CoverageDigital CommunicationsDemocratizing the Road to the White HouseClosing the Participation DivideChanging the Way Presidents Are ElectedIncreasing Competitiveness for Congressional ElectionsSummaryWhere on the Web?ExercisesSelected ReadingsAppendix. The 2019–2020 Presidential Election Campaign