3rd Edition
Cases in Congressional Campaigns Split Decision
This carefully chosen sample of 2018 congressional campaigns provides readers with an account of the campaign battles that took place across the nation. Although Democrats seemed to be poised for a big blue wave of victory following Donald Trump’s historic and divisive 2016 election, the Midterms yielded instead a split decision.
Looking at issues ranging from the Kavanaugh confirmation, health care, the economy, and the impact of President Trump, this book traces the dynamics at work in the 2018 Midterm elections. The editors open with an explanation of the trends in this election cycle, followed by eight in-depth case studies of House and Senate toss-up races involving seats held by endangered Republican incumbents. The book shows how 2018 fits into the context of precursor midterm campaigns and what the analysis of competitive states and districts holds for 2020.
Aimed at a wide variety of college courses as well as general interest readers, this book tells the story of the 2018 Midterms in fascinating detail.
NEW TO THE 3rd EDITION
- Goes beyond the conventional wisdom to analyze Republican incumbents’ win/loss records, Democratic challengers, the role of Trump and other factors, explicating a Midterm election year with no simple story line on either side.
- Explores common themes and structures across all chapters, allowing students to compare disparate election races more easily.
- Looks at issues ranging from the Kavanaugh confirmation, health care, the economy, and the impact of President Trump, putting campaign dynamics into context with the challenge of governing.
List of Tables
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: The 2018 Elections
Randall E. Adkins and David A. Dulio
Chapter 2: An Endangered Republican Incumbent Survives in the Suburbs: Fitzpatrick vs. Wallace in Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District
Stephen K. Medvic and Berwood Yost
Chapter 3: “Senator Spineless” and the Campaign Against Demography: Heller vs. Rosen in Nevada’s Senate Race
David F. Damore
Chapter 4: Flipping Red to Blue in the Lone Star State: Culberson vs. Fletcher in Texas’s 7th Congressional District
Brandon Rottinghaus
Chapter 5: A Negative Nail Biter: McSally vs. Sinema in Arizona’s Senate Race
Kim Fridkin and Patrick J. Kenney
Chapter 6: An Extraordinary Set of Circumstances: Rouda vs. Rohrabacher in California’s 48th Congressional District
Gar Culbert and Alexandra J. Lazar
Chapter 7: Party “Trumps” Independence: Blackburn vs. Bredesen in Tennessee’s Senate Race
Amy E. Jasperson
Chapter 8: Another Suburban District Turns Blue: Stevens vs. Epstein in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District
David A. Dulio and John S. Klemanski
Chapter 9: A Split Decision in “Flyover Country”: Yoder vs. Davids in Kansas’s 3rd Congressional District and Watkins vs. Davis in Kansas’s 2nd Congressional District
Burdett A. Loomis and Patrick R. Miller
Chapter 10: A Split Decision
David A. Dulio and Randall E. Adkins
About the Editors
About the Contributors
Biography
Randall E. Adkins is professor of Political Science and Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He teaches courses on the presidency, Congress, political parties, and campaigns and elections. Adkins is the editor of The Evolution of Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections, and is the author of numerous articles and chapters in edited volumes on the presidency and campaigns and elections. His research is published in American Politics Quarterly, American Politics Research, American Review of Politics, the Journal of Political Marketing, Political Research Quarterly, Presidential Studies Quarterly, PS: Political Science and Politics, and Publius: The Journal of Federalism. He is also a former American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow on Capitol Hill where he worked for the Hon. David E. Price (NC-4).
David A. Dulio is professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Oakland University where he teaches courses on campaigns and elections, Congress, political parties, interest groups, and other areas of American politics. Dulio has published eleven other books, including Campaigns from the Ground Up: State House Campaigns in a National Perspective and For Better or Worse? How Professional Political Consultants are Changing Elections in the United States. He has written dozens of articles and book chapters on subjects ranging from the role of professional consultants in U.S. elections to campaign finance. Dulio is also a former American Political Science Congressional Fellow on Capitol Hill where he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives Republican Conference for former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, Jr. (OK-4).
"This informative volume neatly blends the national and local determinants of congressional elections. It carefully examines key races without losing sight of the broader theoretical concerns important to modern political science." —Kelly D. Patterson, Brigham Young University
Praise for Previous Editions:
"Adkins and Dulio's Cases in Congressional Campaigns is an outstanding edited volume. Sandwiched between a first-rate introduction and conclusion are many excellent case studies written by some of the leading scholars in the field. Students will learn much from this book." —Paul S. Herrnson, University of Maryland
"Adkins and Dulio have assembled a team of top-notch scholars who consider a variety of races that together illustrate just how interesting the 2010 elections were. We will be discussing and analyzing the 2010 election for a long time, and this collection provides not only an excellent starting point for our investigations but also a rich source of data and thoughtful analyses of the most intriguing aspects of this fascinating election." —Diana Dwyre, California State University, Chico
"Adkins and Dulio do an outstanding job in their edited volume, highlighting salient and insightful case studies of the historic 2010 midterm elections. Although the election was clearly a referendum on the Obama Administration, the individual case studies offer numerous insights into some of the more interesting House and Senate races across the country. This volume also offers a nice contextual discussion of several key elections that will shape political events in the upcoming presidential election." —Jamie Carson, University of Georgia
