The Party Decides
Presidential Nominations Before and After Reform
- Contents
- Review Quotes

1 The Outrageous Nomination of Hubert Humphrey
2 Whose Parties?
3 The Creation of New Parties
4 Weak Structures, Strong Parties
5 Last Hurrahs of the Old System
Appendix to Chapter 5: State Parties in 1952
6 Mastering the Postreform System
Appendix to Chapter 6: A Closer Look at the Endorsement Data
7 The Invisible Primary: Theory and Evidence
8 Anatomy of a Conversation
Appendix to Chapter 8: Models of the Invisible Primary
9 The Voters Weigh In
Appendix to Chapter 9: Models of Delegate Share
10 Political Parties Today
Notes
References
Index
“This fine book will set a new standard on the topic of U.S. presidential nominations and more generally U.S. political parties. The analysis is innovative, empirically anchored, zestfully presented, and credible. It is a natural for parties courses.”
“The Party Decides presents a powerful case that political parties, properly conceived, remain the dominant force in the post-reform presidential nominating process. Cohen, Karol, Noel, and Zaller revive and sharpen a long-dormant group-centered theory of parties, use that theory insightfully to reanalyze the historical record, and conduct a creative and rigorous empirical assessment of the invisible primary and its impact on the selection of presidential nominees. This is a scholarly tour de force and a provocative challenge to the candidate-centered reporting and commentary on American politics.”
Political Science: American Government and Politics | Political Behavior and Public Opinion
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