Evaluate the view that Congressional & Presidential elections are fit for purpose Edexcel A Level essay plan

Congressional elections X Presidential elections fit for purpose?




Incumbency advantage

 Obama – John Wolfe – 117,000, 1.7%
 Trump – Bill Weld – 2.35%
 Name recognition – Susan Collins 2002 58%, 2014 68%
 Pork barrelling – Big Dig Boston $4bn

 2020 Senate
o Alabama to Republican
o Arizona to Democrat
o Colorado to Democrat
 Trump 1 term
 AOC Joseph Crawley


Lobbying
 Congressional
o Joe Manchin $4.8m 2021, $300,000 after voting against Build Back Better
o Average = $1.16m fundraising/year
 Executive
o NRA spent $16m 2020 - $4m supporting Trump, $12m opposing Biden



 Use of lobbying money ran successful campaigns for Pete Buttigieg & Amy Klobuchar
 Campaign finance
o Buckley v Valeo + Citizens United, money essential for free speech



The structure
 Congressional (midterms)
o Seen as referendum on presidency
 GW Bush losing houses, 37% approval
 Obama losing Senate 2014
 Executive
o Campaign is too long
 2015, Ted Cruz announced candidacy when Obama had just under 2 years


 Length of campaign seen as a good test
 Average Congressional approval 25%
 DNC scheduled 12 debates from June 2019 to March 2020
 When the