American Government, Eighth Edition
James Q. Wilson, University of California, Los Angeles
John J. DiIulio, Jr., University of Pennsylvania
What Would You Do? Interactive: Elections Simulation
You have decided to run for the House of Representatives. You are a Democrat challenging a five-term (ten-year) Republican incumbent. You have served for just two years in the state legislature. You have little name recognition throughout the district and little money to fund your campaign. Your opponent has a high degree of name recognition and a considerable "war chest" to help fund his race. Even though the incumbent has been in office for five terms, the district is seen as a "swing district," meaning it can go either Democratic or Republican. Similarly, pundits are predicting that this will be a good year for Democrats running for office. It is a midterm election; therefore, there is no presidential race. Your first task is to put together a staff and select a top campaign advisor. This person will give your campaign focus and direction and will set the agenda. You essentially have a choice of two different styles. Do you choose:
A campaign manager who is nationally recognized as being strong in helping his or her candidates raise money and generate media exposure. However, this person has little familiarity with the district you are running in.
A campaign manager who is a veteran of local politics and has worked for local Democrats for years. She or he is intimately familiar with the district and its key issues. However, she or he is less skilled at raising money and generating exposure.
