Overview

In recent years, the office of the vice president has become a focal point of presidential politics and governance. From the emergence of the modern vice presidency under Walter Mondale to Mike Pence’s and Kamala Harris’s dramatic influence on the outcome of the 2020 election, Second in Command explores how vice presidents and vice-presidential candidates have shaped the direction of the country and changed American politics. The frenzy of speculation surrounding the “veepstakes” every four years and extensive media coverage of the vice-presidential debate may seem odd, given the vice presidency’s limited constitutional powers and dismal public reputation. Dispelling the myth that the vice presidency is a powerless or merely ceremonial role, Second in Command draws on the multidisciplinary expertise of more than a dozen leading vice-presidential scholars to reveal the complex, consequential, and often misunderstood nature of the office. With accessible language and vivid examples, it traces the transformation of vice-presidential power over the past half-century, reveals the evolving electoral significance of vice-presidential running mates, and highlights the need for a deeper public understanding of these pivotal figures. Chapters employ a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including elite interviews, archival research, case studies, and advanced statistical modeling to cover topics such as gender and media effects in running mate selection and the representation of vice presidents in popular culture. This book offers a fresh, engaging, and essential perspective on a vital institution at the heart of American democracy.

Full Product Details

Author:   Karine Prémont ,  Christopher J. Devine
Publisher:   The University of Michigan Press
Imprint:   The University of Michigan Press
ISBN:  

9780472078097

ISBN 10:   0472078097
Pages:   348
Publication Date:   20 April 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
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Table of Contents

List of Figures List of Tables List of Abbreviations Acknowledgments Introduction: Situating the Vice Presidency in Presidency Studies Meena Bose Part I – The Vice Presidents Karine Prémont 1. From Troubleshooters to Partners (and Back): The Importance of Partnerships Between Presidents and Vice Presidents, from Walter Mondale to Kamala Harris Karine Prémont 2. Our (Wo)Man on Capitol Hill: The Vice President as the White House’s Congressional Liaison Christophe Cloutier-Roy 3. Last Person in the Room: Vice Presidential Influence on National Security Decision Making Richard M. Yon, Jason Galui, Christian Dionisio, and Joseph G. Amoroso 4. The Vice Presidency and the Checks and Balances Roy R. Brownell II 5. VPs “Don’t Get No Respect”: Political Humor and Vice-Presidential Caricatures Jody C Baumgartner 6. Assessing VPOTUS: Elite Opinion and the Modern Vice Presidency Brandon Rottinghaus and Justin Vaughn Part II – The Candidates Christopher J. Devine 7. The Modern Veepstakes: New Pressures to Vet More Seasoned Running Mates Whitney L. Court 8. Balancing a “Hockey Mom” with “Broad-Shouldered Leadership”: Campaign Communication and Gendered Ticket Dynamics Lindsey Meeks 9. “Never Fear, the Vice-Presidential Attack Dog is Here”: A Short History of the Running Mate Campaign Style, 1976-2008 Charles J. Holden 10. The Spotlight Fades: The Declining Electoral Impact of Modern Vice-Presidential Candidates Stacy G. Ulbig 11. The Most Important VP Choice Since… When? Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, and the 2020 (Vice) Presidential Election Christopher J. Devine and Kyle C. Kopko 12. Vice Presidents-Elect during the Transfer of Power, 1976-2008 Heath Brown Conclusion: From Second in Command to Commander in Chief Karine Prémont and Christopher J. Devine List of Contributors

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Author Information

Karine Prémont is Professor in the School of Applied Politics at the Université de Sherbrooke and Deputy Director of the Center for the United States Studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Christopher J. Devine is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Dayton.

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