Routledge Political Consultants and Campaigns: One Day to Sell (Transforming American Politics)

Political Consultants and Campaigns: One Day to Sell examines the differences between how political science theory suggests campaigns should be run and how political consultants actually run campaigns. In the wake of consultants who effortlessly move from campaigners to policymakers, the dearth of knowledge about the attitudes, beliefs, and strategies of the consultants themselves is still a glaring absence in the analysis of American politics. How can we purport to know what is happening in American political campaigns if we don't know what is on the minds of the men and women who run them?This book provides a clearer understanding of modern-day political campaigns by revealing what is on the minds of the people who run them. With original data from consultants, campaign managers, and professional campaign schools, author Jason Johnson examines consultant behavior on message formation, policy positioning, candidate recruitment, Internet strategy, and negative advertising and compares these practices to existing political science theory. This groundbreaking research makes Political Consultants and Campaigns: One Day to Sell a must-have resource for all students of American politics, campaign managers, or anyone interested in how political campaigns in America are run. Review Praise for Jason Johnson's Political Consultants and Campaigns: One Day to Sell "Few campaign management texts successfully navigate between political science research and wisdom garnered from the trenches. Johnson's Political Consultants and Campaigns finds that narrow pathway in grand fashion. It is an important book, rich in detail and insight, and should be on the shelf of anyone interested in modern campaign dynamics." -- Daniel M. Shea, Allegheny College "Jason Johnson brings theoretical power and real-world data together in this compelling study of how we organize and run modern political campaigns. He successfully bridges the gap between political science and practical politics with this book--one that both scholars and politicos will use in their work. We need more studies like Political Consultants and Campaigns that combine the lessons of theory with hard evidence from the field!" -- Charles Cushman Jr., Graduate School of Political Management, George Washington University Praise for Jason Johnson s "Political Consultants and Campaigns: One Day to Sell" Few campaign management texts successfully navigate between political science research and wisdom garnered from the trenches. Johnson s Political Consultants and Campaigns finds that narrow pathway in grand fashion. It is an important book, rich in detail and insight, and should be on the shelf of anyone interested in modern campaign dynamics. Daniel M. Shea, Allegheny College Jason Johnson brings theoretical power and real-world data together in this compelling study of how we organize and run modern political campaigns. He successfully bridges the gap between political science and practical politics with this bookone that both scholars and politicos will use in their work. We need more studies like Political Consultants and Campaigns that combine the lessons of theory with hard evidence from the field! Charles Cushman Jr., Graduate School of Political Management, George Washington University This is the book that political scientists and campaign practitioners have been saying needs to be written for years, and Jason Johnson has finally done it. Accessible and well researched, this volume is firmly planted in the sweet spot between campaign professionals and academics. It provides new insights on the invisible laws that have shaped the political profession for decades. Dr. Ron Faucheux, President, Clarus Research Group" Praise for Jason Johnson's "Political Consultants and Campaigns: One Day to Sell" "Few campaign management texts successfully navigate between political science research and wisdom garnered from the trenches. Johnson's Political Consultants and C