Overview

The pressures of contemporary electioneering force political professionals into ""campaign mode"" - a state of mind that merges a visceral drive to win elections with a deep-seated habit of strategic thinking. Wise political professionals know the basic rules of electoral strategy and how to read the political terrain. This volume examines the strategic histories of five successful congressional candidates - Ohio's Ted Strickland, Georgia's Bob Barr, California's Loretta Sanchez, Tennessee's Harold Ford Jr, and Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum. The authors - both of whom have advised major political figures - combine interviews, survey data, historical investigation and observation of the candidates to reveal the inner workings of electoral politics. They seek to demonstrate that campaigns do matter and show readers how to think like political professionals.

Full Product Details

9780742501409

Table of Contents

Reviews

Burton and Shea get it right. They identify the conceptual rules that typically dictate campaign strategy, note the exceptions andillustrate it all with well-chosen case studies and analysis. This book is an enjoyable must-read by two writers who blend theirpolitical and academic expertise to perfection.--Thurgood Marshall, Jr.

Burton and Shea have written a unique book that explains how campaigns operate. By focusing attention on campaign strategy in particular, they help shed light on what, for most Americans, is a complex and mysterious process. -- Stephen K. Medvic, Franklin and Marshall College Campaign Mode does an outstanding job of opening up the world of electoral politics. This thoughtful book systematically analyzes campaign strategy in congressional elections and provides real world examples to illustrate how these strategies develop. It bridges the gap between what political scientists think they know about campaigns and how these campaigns actually unfold. -- Kelly D. Patterson, Brigham Young University Burton and Shea get it right. They identify the conceptual rules that typically dictate campaign strategy, note the exceptions and illustrate it all with well-chosen case studies and analysis. This book is an enjoyable must-read by two writers who blendtheir political and academic expertise to perfection.... -- Thurgood Marshall, Jr., campaign aide to former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore An interesting book for the political practitioner wanting general insights into strategic thinking in political campaign management. -- Paul Baines, Middlesex University, London Campaign Mode is a pleasure to read and has something for everyone—academics, practitioners, and political junkies. Burton and Shea use a nice blend of scholarly literature and stories from the field to produce their 'rules of engagement'—rules that ring true and that candidates can ignore only at great peril. An ideal book for the classroom or just for a good read. -- Thomas Holbrook, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Burton and Shea get it right. They identify the conceptual rules that typically dictate campaign strategy, note the exceptions and illustrate it all with well-chosen case studies and analysis. This book is an enjoyable must-read by two writers who blend their political and academic expertise to perfection. -- Thurgood Marshall, Jr., campaign aide to former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore

Burton and Shea have written a unique book that explains how campaigns operate. By focusing attention on campaign strategy in particular, they help shed light on what, for most Americans, is a complex and mysterious process. -- Stephen K. Medvic, Franklin and Marshall College Campaign Mode does an outstanding job of opening up the world of electoral politics. This thoughtful book systematically analyzes campaign strategy in congressional elections and provides real world examples to illustrate how these strategies develop. It bridges the gap between what political scientists think they know about campaigns and how these campaigns actually unfold. -- Kelly D. Patterson, Brigham Young University Burton and Shea get it right. They identify the conceptual rules that typically dictate campaign strategy, note the exceptions and illustrate it all with well-chosen case studies and analysis. This book is an enjoyable must-read by two writers who blendtheir political and academic expertise to perfection... -- Thurgood Marshall, Jr., campaign aide to former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore An interesting book for the political practitioner wanting general insights into strategic thinking in political campaign management. -- Paul Baines, Middlesex University, London Campaign Mode is a pleasure to read and has something for everyone-academics, practitioners, and political junkies. Burton and Shea use a nice blend of scholarly literature and stories from the field to produce their 'rules of engagement'-rules that ring true and that candidates can ignore only at great peril. An ideal book for the classroom or just for a good read. -- Thomas Holbrook, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Burton and Shea get it right. They identify the conceptual rules that typically dictate campaign strategy, note the exceptions and illustrate it all with well-chosen case studies and analysis. This book is an enjoyable must-read by two writers who blend their political and academic expertise to perfection. -- Thurgood Marshall, Jr., campaign aide to former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore

Author Information

Michael John Burton is assistant professor of political science at Ohio University. Daniel M. Shea is associate professor of political science at Allegheny College.

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