Battle for the Big Sky: Representation and the Politics of Place in the Race for the US Senate / Edition 1

by David C. W. Parker

Overview

Battle for the Big Sky delves into one of the few competitive races of the 2012 election: the US Senate campaign in Montana. Author David C.W. Parker was granted exceptional access by both candidates over the 21 months preceding the election, allowing him to tell the story of the race in rare and fascinating detail, while also exploring the impact of Citizens United and so-called "dark money" on the campaign. The Montana setting offers readers a view into the rising political influence of the West, the importance of "place" in politics, and the impact of congressional styles and constituent relationships on campaigns and elections. Parker skillfully weaves political analysis into his narrative and places the race in the broader context of congressional elections and the research literature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781483368634
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	10/22/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	280
Sales rank:	841,660
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

David C.W. Parker is an associate professor of political science at Montana State University. He is the author of The Power of Money in Congressional Campaigns, 1880-2006 (University of Oklahoma Press), as well as articles on the consequences of divided government and how members of Congress build reputations with their constituents. His article, "Making a Good Impression: Resource Allocations, Home Styles, and Washington Work," won the 2010 Alan Rosenthal Award from the American Political Science Association. His co-edited volume on archival research methodology was published last year. Prior to entering the academy, Dr. Parker worked as a field representative, communications director, and campaign manager for a presidential, mayoral, and two Senate campaigns. He also writes a blog for the Montana State University Department of Political Science entitled Big Sky Political Analysis.

Table of Contents

Tables and Figures ix

Preface xi

About the Author xix

Chapter 1 Why What Happened in Montana Won't Stay in Montana 1

Do Campaigns Matter? Montana Votes "Yes" 2

The Rise of the West 6

Building Constituent Connections 7

A Ringside Seat 9

Chapter 2 Montana: The Last, Best Place? 13

Place-Based Connections 13

"One of Us" 15

Montana: The Place 16

Montana and the Feds: A Love-Hate Relationship 19

Montana. The People 29

Conclusion 33

Chapter 3 Jon Tester's Creating a Buzz 39

Prepolitical Careers and Representational Style 40

The Dirt Farmer from Big Sandy 42

Jon Tester Goes to Helena 47

Going Belly to Belly with Senator Burns 50

Preliminaries 50

Tester's Campaign Victory 51

Conclusion 54

Chapter 4 Denny Rehberg: A Man in a Hurry 59

The Billings Rancher 59

Forget Me Not: Denny the Insurgent 64

Denny and Max 68

Montana's Lone Congressman 71

Two Early Political Careers, Two Different Paths 72

Conclusion 77

Chapter 5 Representational Style: How Congressman Rehberg and Senator Tester Govern 81

Home Styles in the Big Sky 82

Washington Work 86

Explaining Washington Work to Constituents 96

Home Styles and Town Halls 102

Conclusion 108

Chapter 6 Campaigning in a Citizens United World:

The Early Days of the Race 113

Priming and Framing 114

Farmer Jon or Barack Tester; Rancher Denny or Irresponsible Dennis? 115

Citizens United: More Money, Less Control 122

The Pledge That Wasn't 132

Conclusion 133

Chapter 7 What Voters Know, How They Decide, and When Campaigns Matter 141

How Individuals Make Voting Decisions in Congressional Elections 142

Montana: Independent Voters Facing a Rich Information Environment 145

Representational Relationships: What Did Montanans Know and When Did They Know It? 146

Talking Politics: The Bozeman Focus Groups 152

Reinforcing an Information Advantage 159

Conclusion 163

Chapter 8 The Message Matters: The Politics of Personality and Issues 169

Do Campaigns Matter? What Political Science Says 170

Rehberg's Decision 172

Information Advantages and Voter Learning: How Personality Trumped Issues and Resources 176

The Final Stretch 195

Conclusion 199

Chapter 9 The End Game 207

How the Campaign Mattered 211

The Democratic Brand 213

It's the Economy, Stupid? 216

"Responsible" Decision Making: The Politics of Representational Style 218

Dan Cox: Spoiler? 221

The Democratic Ground Game 226

A Final Look 232

Conclusion 234

Chapter 10 Lessons Learned 239

Future Directions 244

Conclusion 245

Index 249