Elections and Campaigns

The advantages of incumbency in congressional elections include which of the following? 1. Incumbents receive more campaign contributions than do challengers. 2. Incumbents are able to provide important services for individual voters. 3. The government provides campaign funds for incumbents. 4. The President usually endorses incumbents for reelection. 5. Most American voters believe Congress does a good job.

1 & 2 only

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold) did which of the following? A. It created interest groups known as 527s. B. It made it illegal for unions to donate to presidential campaigns. C. It banned soft money donations to national parties. D. It banned candidates from running negative advertisements. E. It banned third parties from federal funding.

C. It banned soft money donations to national parties.

Which of the following took place after presidential candidates Truman in 1948, Nixon in 1968, and Clinton in 1992 won only pluralities of the popular vote? A. The election was formally decided in the House of Representatives. B. The election was formally decided in the Senate. C. The winning candidate took office after receiving less than 50% of the popular votes cast. D. The electoral college votes cast by independents were critical in determining the winner. E. The results of the popular vote necessitated a runoff.

C. The winning candidate took office after receiving less than 50% of the popular votes cast.

A chief executive officer (CEO) of a corporation believes that the Republican candidate for president will enact policies that are more beneficial to her business. The CEO donated the maximum amount allowed by law directly to the candidate's campaign fund. To increase the candidate's chances for election, the CEO also directed her corporation to donate funds to an independent political action committee to create ads criticizing the opposing candidate. According to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), which provision of the Constitution protects her actions? A. Reserved powers in the Tenth Amendment B. Due process clause in the Fifth Amendment C. Freedom of association in the First Amendment D. Freedom of speech in the First Amendment

D. Freedom of speech in the First Amendment

Which of the following is a correct statement about political action committees (PAC's)? *This item is subject to changes in the campaign finance laws A. The number of PAC's has remained stable over the past decade. B. Most PAC money is distributed to challengers in an effort to unseat hostile incumbents. C. The amount of money that PAC's can contribute directly to an individual candidate is limited by law. D. PAC's are illegal in most states. E. PAC's rarely attempt to influence legislation through lobbying activities.

The amount of money that PAC's can contribute directly to an individual candidate is limited by law.

Which of the following scenarios is most closely related to the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) ? A. A member of Congress establishes a political action committee to gain influence within the chamber. B. A labor union spends millions of dollars to independently run negative advertisements about a presidential candidate shortly before the election. C. A state senator receives a large cash donation from a corporate executive in exchange for specific political favors. D. A lobbyist writes the language of a bill that is later introduced into both chambers of Congress.

B. A labor union spends millions of dollars to independently run negative advertisements about a presidential candidate shortly before the election.

Which of the following is true of the electoral college system? A. It encourages the emergence of third parties. B. It encourages candidates to concentrate their campaigns in competitive, populous states. C. It ensures that the votes of all citizens count equally in selecting the President. D. It requires that a candidate win a minimum of 26 states to obtain a majority in the college. E. It tends to make a presidential elections appear closer than they really are.

B. It encourages candidates to concentrate their campaigns in competitive, populous states.

In response to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act), the United States Supreme Court, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), ruled that A. limits cannot be placed upon candidates' contributions to their own campaigns B. independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment C. limits on issue advertisements 90 days before an election are unconstitutional D. limits on campaign contributions by minors are constitutional under the First Amendment E. requiring endorsement statements in campaign advertisements is unconstitutional

B. independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment

Which of the following best describes the difference between an open and closed primary? A. Voters must pay a poll tax to vote in a closed primary, but not in an open primary. B. Voters are allowed to split their ticket in a closed primary but not in an open primary. C. Only voters who register as members of a political party may vote in that party's closed primary, while independents and others may be eligible to vote in open primaries. D. Open primaries require a run-off system, while closed primaries do not. E. Candidates must seek the approval of the party organization to run in a closed primary, but anyone may be a candidate in an open primary.

C. Only voters who register as members of a political party may vote in that party's closed primary, while independents and others may be eligible to vote in open primaries.

The primary election system of selecting presidential candidates has had which of the following effects? A. It has increased the importance of state party organizations. B. It has loosened the hold of party leaders over the nomination process. C. It has reduced the role of citizens in the candidate selection process. D. It has lowered the cost of running for office. E. It has led to a decline in the importance of party voter-registration drives.

B. It has loosened the hold of party leaders over the nomination process.

The America First Action is a super PAC led by former administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon. Which of the following best explains how the organization can operate to influence elections, according to the decision in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010) ? A. The super PAC can be led by a former government official but cannot accept contributions from former officials. B. The super PAC can spend unlimited funds and coordinate its campaign with candidate campaigns but must abide by "Stand by Your Ad" provisions. C. The super PAC can spend unlimited money on issue-advocacy advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign. D. The super PAC can spend unlimited money on campaign expenditures but is subject to maximum contribution limits from donors.

C. The super PAC can spend unlimited money on issue-advocacy advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign.

Which of the following is NOT a way in which the federal government regulates campaigns? A. By requirements for disclosure of campaign donations B. By establishment of federal agencies to regulate campaign finance activities C. By limits on the distribution of soft money D. By limits on individual donations to campaigns E. By prohibitions on negative advertising

E. By prohibitions on negative advertising

There is an ongoing debate over the role of money in elections. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002 banned soft money and restricted advertisements in the weeks before an election. Parts of this act were challenged and struck down in the Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010). Which of the following was a consequence of that ruling? A. The Federal Election Commission cannot place any restrictions on political advertisements because they are protected by the freedom of speech. B. Super PACs may spend unlimited funds on advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign because they are protected by the freedom of speech. C. Advertisements produced in coordination between campaigns and super PACs cannot be restricted because they are protected by the freedom of speech. D. The Federal Election Commission can place restrictions on all advertisements because they are not protected by the freedom of speech.

B. Super PACs may spend unlimited funds on advertisements that are not coordinated with the campaign because they are protected by the freedom of speech.

Which of the following best explains why the winner of a presidential election usually claims to have a mandate from voters? A. The president's party often wins a majority of seats in Congress by riding the president's coattails. B. The allocation of electoral votes in the winner-take-all system exaggerates the margin of victory. C. Presidents are allowed to implement their legislative agendas without interference during their first term. D. The new president is allowed to replace a significant number of justices on the Supreme Court. E. The incoming president automatically gains control of Congress.

B. The allocation of electoral votes in the winner-take-all system exaggerates the margin of victory.

Typically, presidential candidates implement their campaign strategies by A. applying their resources evenly among the states, because they must win popular votes in a majority of the states to be elected B. focusing on larger, competitive states, because they might tip the balance of the electoral college C. focusing on small states, because these states have proportionally more electoral votes than more populous states have D. ignoring the electoral college, because the popular vote determines the outcome of the election E. ignoring the electoral college, because more states are moving away from the winner-take-all system

B. focusing on larger, competitive states, because they might tip the balance of the electoral college

A primary election in which voters are required to identify a party preference before the election and are not allowed to split their ticket is called A. an open primary B. a blanket primary C. a closed primary D. a runoff primary E. a presidential preference primary

C. a closed primary

The process known as front-loading refers to A. presidential candidates raising funds far in advance of the first presidential primary B. a presidential candidate seeking endorsements before officially declaring candidacy C. the tendency of states to choose an early date on the primary calendar D. political action committees (PACs) contributing money to candidates at least one year before the first presidential primary or caucus E. the winner-take-all principle of the electoral college

C. the tendency of states to choose an early date on the primary calendar

Critics of the winner-take-all aspect of the electoral college are most likely to make which of the following arguments? A. The winner-take-all system of the electoral college undermines the rights of states. B. A state's presidential election results rarely mirror a state's congressional election results. C. The winner-take-all system of the electoral college drives presidential candidates to focus on winning states that are considered to be part of their core supporters. D. The winner-take-all system of the electoral college encourages presidential candidates to focus their time and effort disproportionately on battleground states with larger populations.

D. The winner-take-all system of the electoral college encourages presidential candidates to focus their time and effort disproportionately on battleground states with larger populations.