Campaign Warriors: Political Consultants in Elections

Book Overview

"

Campaign politics has become increasingly professionalized in recent years. The growing prevalence and influence of paid consultants in the United States and other democracies is one of the most important factors changing the nature of electoral politics. Campaign Warriors thoroughly examines this critical--and controversial--development and its impact on the political system in the U.S. and other countries.

The contributors approach the topic from several different perspectives, including the increasing use of ""spin doctors"" and the resulting loss of influence of state and national political parties. The book investigates the role of these paid advisers: who they are, what they do and why, and how they feel about their work. The contributors discuss the consultant's relationship with candidates and parties, and analyze the effect of their efforts on election outcome.

"

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815784538
• ISBN13: 9780815784531
• Release Date: March 2000
• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Warrior of a Book

Very rarely does any book delve into the mysterious world of the political consultant; in fact, these key players are merely treated as scenery by many other accounts. Thurber and Nelson's account suggests otherwise. CAMPAIGN WARRIORS is a compilation of articles that probes deeply into both the professional and personal lives of these political workers. The book takes a comprehensive approach to the study of the political consultant, analyzing the ultimate effect that they have on the electoral and decision-making process. Party relations, the amount of money available to political campaigns, and the degree of professionalization in House elections are all factors that are explored through the mention of consultants. An appendix in the book focuses on consultants as a demographic group. The prose is a bit technical at times, but only when discussing relevant statistics that the authors have acquired through surveys conducted at local, state, and national levels. However, that the authors were able to shed so much light on the doings of these behind-the-scenes workers in only 200 pages, makes this book all in all a good read.