I'm a devoted West Wing fan, and watching the sixth series at the moment. I can't understand what is going on when the current democrat VP is running against six other democrat candidates in elections in New Hampshire and Iowa. What are they trying to win? Is this an election for seats or some kind of internal decision being made as to who the party's main candidate is?
US election procedures
by sass_my_frass 11 Replies latest social current
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rwagoner
yes...its called a "Primary"....sort of a runoff contest to see who the official party nominee will be
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Double Edge
Months before the Democrats and Republicans pick their final Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates, we have what is called the "primaries". Democratic and Republican hopefuls start campaigning in certain states....I think it starts in the early Spring.... New Hampshire is one of the first states. They only run against those in their party. When Bill Clinton first ran in the New Hampshire primary, there were something like 7 or 8 candidates. No one really knew who Clinton was. But because he worked hard in that small state, after the first few primary elections are over, you know what candidates are 'ringing' with the people. It's a weeding out process. Each State carries so many electorial "points" (depending on populations....large state, more points). As the candidates progress over the next few months, some get strong and some quit. It all leads up to the party Convention (either Democrat or Republican). At those conventions, they can take several votes. The first vote the individual states must vote according to who won the state's primary election.
Up until about 20 years ago, there use to be several votes at the convention, a lot of back-room dealing. Now it's a 'done' deal usually with the primaries. They usually know, going into the Convention who the party candidate will be.
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My MILs worst nightmare, a nonJW
A big deal is made about the results in Iowa and New Hampshire because of the early momentum it gives a candidate. 13 of the last 14 presidential candidates won at least one of those states. You may have 16 candidates to begin with, but the field is quickly narrowed depending how the candidates do in those initial states. The Democrats are adding a couple of states this year to fall either between or right after Iowa and NH. This will be important, because if one of those states is South Carolina which has a nearly 50% African American vote, then Barack Obama could get an early boost in his battle with Hillary Clinton.
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rwagoner
Wow...
17 words vs 215 words....guess that makes me a man of few words.... LOL
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Double Edge
I liked the West Wing too. One thing you might want to keep in mind, the show was produced by nearly all Democrats and a lot of the subjects are skewed that way. Either the second or third season, they put a Republican consultant on staff to make the show more 'even-steven'. Good drama though....it gets better each year.
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rwagoner
the show was produced by nearly all Democrats and a lot of the subjects are skewed that way
I agree totally. I'm a political junky and a Republican and I love the West Wing.
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sass_my_frass
So do both parties run primaries in every state? And is the point of winning, just building momentum, like a formal poll? Or does it get them some kind of seat?
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sass_my_frass
Thanks, I had to told the same thing twice to understand it. Believe it or not, one can watch thirty years of US tv and still not understand the process.
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sass_my_frass
... and what is Super Tuesday?