Lexington Books Money in Politics: Campaign Fundraising in the 2020 Presidential Election (Bloomsbury Studies in Political Communication)

Money in Politics: Campaign Fundraising in the 2020 Presidential Election illustrates political fundraising's importance in the 2020 presidential election from the party primaries through the General Election. Cayce Myers addresses how the role of corporate donations, individual contributors, and small donorship have become political talking points. Specific attention is given to the evolution of political fundraising, including a discussion regarding super-PACs, joint fundraising committees, and campaign committees. Myers explores how modern fundraising prowess serves as a barrier to successful entry into top tier candidacy but does not necessarily guarantee victory. Review Money in Politics provides a good historical grounding in campaign finance in the United States and a strong analysis of the dynamics in play during the 2020 presidential election. It is interesting to note the shift in Democrats raising more political funds than Republicans, given the GOP was the first to take advantage of the Citizens United vs. FEC ruling. This book takes a complex subject and distills it in a way that makes it both understandable and accessible.--Melissa M. Smith, Mississippi University for WomenNumerous articles and books are written about the role of money in political campaigns. None are as well-documented, thorough, and enjoyable to read as this one. It provides a 150 year linear campaign finance history beginning with Theodore Roosevelt and culminating in the Biden/Trump campaign. What separates this book from others on the topic is its integration of factual commentary and statistical evidence with anecdotal stories and insider reflections. It is a scholarly work that reads like a novel. I highly recommend this informative and entertaining book to anyone interested in political campaigns.--Ruthann Weaver Lariscy, University of GeorgiaThis book offers an in-depth look at an important yet understudied topic in political communication: campaign fundraising. The analysis focuses on the 2020 presidential election, the most expensive race in history with billions of dollars raised and spent by candidates, parties, PACS, and super-PACs. By grounding the study in the rich history of campaign finance regulations, Cayce Myers also shows how the 2020 race is representative of the longstanding tension between the necessity of fundraising, concerns about donors' political influence, and calls for campaign finance reform. The result is a fascinating look at the role money plays in U.S. political campaigns.--Lisa M. Burns, Quinnipiac UniversityProfessor Cayce Myers provides an important and valuable perspective on campaign finance processes as related to the American electoral process. Though a great deal of jurisprudence and legal analysis has been done about the ramifications of money and U.S. elections. Professor Myers does an exceptional job of providing both depth and breadth with regard to campaign fundraising and its communication impact on candidate argumentation. Readers will find a wealth of historical information along with the most contemporary applications running through the most recent presidential campaigns. Professor Myers provides a balanced perspective that is all too often lacking in this field of study. Faculty and students will benefit from this compelling research compendium and guide to campaign finance. Money in Politics: Campaign Fundraising in the 2020 Presidential Election is an excellent academic book I recommend for any coursework or study relating to American politics.--Ben Voth, associate professor, communication; director of speech and debate, Southern Methodist University; former advisor for the George W Bush institute, the Coolidge Presidential foundation and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC About the Author Cayce Myers is director of graduate studies and associate professor at Virginia Tech’s School of Communication.