5.10 Modern Campaigns

Campaigns used to be run largely by party organizations and volunteers. Today, candidates hire professionals, and serious campaigns at every level depend on them:

• Campaign managers who run day-to-day strategy
• Pollsters who measure opinion and test messages
• Media consultants who make TV, radio and online ads
• Digital strategists who run social media, email and online fundraising
• Fundraisers who organize donors and events
• Opposition researchers who dig into opponents' records

Campaigns are very expensive. Total spending on federal elections, including candidates, parties and outside groups, has topped $14 billion in recent presidential election cycles, and competitive Senate races can each cost well over $100 million. Money pays for advertising, staff, travel, data and get-out-the-vote operations.

The need for money shapes behavior. Members of Congress spend substantial time fundraising, even while in office, and potential candidates without wealth or donor networks may never run. Supporters of the current system argue that spending reflects free speech and informs voters; critics worry that it gives donors outsized influence and distracts officials from governing (5.11).

Presidential candidates often announce more than a year before the first primaries, and the invisible primary for donors and endorsements starts even earlier. With House members facing election every two years, some say Congress is in a permanent campaign, where governing and campaigning blur together. Early and mail voting also stretch out the period when campaigns must be active, since many people vote weeks before Election Day.

Social media lets candidates speak directly to voters without journalists filtering their messages, respond instantly, organize volunteers and raise money in small online donations. Combined with voter data (5.4), campaigns use microtargeting, sending different messages to narrow groups of voters based on their interests and behavior.

There are drawbacks too. Messages that spread fastest are often the most emotional or negative, false information can travel quickly, and microtargeted ads are harder for the public and journalists to see and check.

Constant ads, texts, emails and fundraising appeals can cause voter fatigue, when people tune out or become cynical. On the other hand, modern campaigns can reach and mobilize voters, including young people, who might otherwise be ignored. Whether modern campaigning strengthens or weakens democracy is a real debate.