New Jersey State, Term Paper Example

Summary

There are different aspects of the presidential selection process, and it can be very confusing. The nomination process depends on winning the delegates to the party’s national conventions. Each state chooses a delegate through two different methods, primaries and caucuses. The candidate then the delegates to the national convention determined by the percentage of votes they get in each state. To win the party’s nomination, the majority of delegate votes is needed. The candidate runs together as President and Vice President, so voters only vote once for both roles.

New Jersey’s 2008 Presidential elections, Hilary Clinton won the race. It was very close; however the voters stated that the economy was the largest factor that influenced their voting decisions. Another important factor was the candidate’s had the ability to bring about necessary change. The independents and blacks did favor Obama however the majority of the voters felt that Hilary had better qualifications be commander in chief. New Jersey is not a frequent campaign stop because they traditionally play a minor role in the presidential nominating process. John McCain won the Republican support in New Jersey’s 2008 Presidential elections.

The predictions for the 2016 election is that New Jersey will have 51 delegates at the Republican National Convention. They are expected to have 142 total delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. New Jersey is favor Hilary Clinton, Democrat, and Jeb Bush and Chris Cristie for Republican Party. Nationwide, the prediction based on popularity and exposure thus far will come down to Hilary Clinton, Marc Rubio, and Bernie Sanders. Hilary seems to be the more likely candidate to win the 2016 Presidential election.

Candidate and Nomination

The constitutional requirements for being a presidential candidate is based on age, citizenship, and residency. It requires the candidates to be a natural-born citizen or a citizen of the United States. The candidate must be at least thirty-five years of age. The candidate must also be a resident within the United States for fourteen years before running for the presidency. The President of the United States cannot be elected to office for more than two terms.

The common background of previous presidential candidates in 2008 was politician and lawyer. Barack Obama was an attorney for a civil rights law firm and a lecturer. In 1996, Obama ran for Illinois legislature and was a U.S. State Senator. John McCain was also a U.S. State Senator. He was also a war veteran and Navy captain. Ralph Nader was an author, politician, consumer advocate and lawyer. Bob Barr was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994. Barr is a politician and a lawyer. The common background of the presidential candidates in 2016 is a bit vaster. Hilary Clinton, the former First Lady, was elected in 2001 to the U.S. Senate. In 2009, she became the 67th U.S. secretary of state. Donald Trump is a very successful and well-off businessman. However, he does not have any political history before running for Presidency. Jeb Bush is the son and brother of two United States Presidents. He served Florida as their governor from 1998 to 2007. Bernie Sanders has served two terms in the U.S. Senate. While the majority of the 2016 candidates have some political background, not all candidates do.

The Democratic Party’s national process is the Commission make the results primaries and caucuses, making the rank-and-file party voters more decisive. The individual states use the caucus system or primary election to delegate to the party’s national convention. The caucuses and primaries results bind the convention delegates to the particular candidates. At the convention, the roll call votes formally nominate the presidential candidate. Each State has their rules on how the winner is chosen. New Jersey held their primaries in June typically have no say in the presidential candidate. In 2008, New Jersey moved their primaries up to February 2008 which allowed them to have input for the presidential candidate. Jeff Boss is the New Jersey’s Democratic nominee for 2016. The prediction for this candidate is that they will not be a contender for the 2016 Presidential race. Jeff Boss has not even made it on the ballot and has not begun to contend.

The Republican Party’s national process is the Commission make the results primaries and caucuses, making the rank-and-file party voters more decisive. The individual states use the caucus system or primary election to delegate to the party’s national convention. The caucuses and primaries results bind the convention delegates to the particular candidates. At the convention, the roll call votes formally nominate the presidential candidate. The nomination process is based on voting during the primaries. New Jersey holds their primaries late, so they usually have no input for the presidential candidate. In 2016, the New Jersey Republican nominee is Chris Christie. He is a serious contender for being nominated by the GOP for the 2016 elections. He holds strong, conservative positions that have gained him support for running for the presidency. However, with so many more popular candidates, the prediction is that he will not make the cut. The polls currently show that other candidates are further ahead in popularity and being a better choice by the majority.

General Election and Electoral Campaigns

The basic rules and structures of the general election include the popular votes and the Electoral College. The presidential candidates by the caucuses and primaries where they gain their parties’ nomination. The candidate needs the Electoral College vote in the general election to determine the popular votes. It is a winner takes all based on the votes. Before the candidate can gain their party nomination, they need to acquire the most delegates at the national convention. It requires them to campaign in each state in the primary conventions, elections, or caucuses. The election structure, the way states allocate their delegates to candidates, delegate selections, and how the states hold their elections all impact how the candidate needs to approach each state.

The general election campaigns allow the candidates to go from state to state in efforts to build popularity and support for their candidacy. The candidate hit the trails to compete against other candidates and to draw attention to their positions on many topics. The general election campaign is also where the general election committee raises money for the presidential campaign. The general election takes place every four years generally, for presidential candidates. The general election is when the political bodies are chosen. The general election takes place in November. There is also a significant amount of debates and campaigning that occurs in the general election, trying to earn their role as president.

Barack Obama was elected President of the United States in the election of 2008. Obama’s running mate for Vice President was Joe Biden. In general, Obama was the favored choice by the majority. Obama received 365 electoral votes and carried 28 states. Obama’s popular vote totaled 69,498,516. He received 52.9% of the votes winning him the election. During his campaign, Barack raised more money than any other candidate to that point. John McCain held his own during the 2008 general election, however in the end, lost to Barack Obama for the presidency. McCain, a Republican, ran with the highly controversial Sarah Palin. John McCain gained 173 electoral votes and carried 22 states. John McCain won 59,948,323 of the popular votes. He won 45.7% of the votes, where he lost to his rival, Barack Obama.

New Jersey is not necessarily the most popular state for campaigning. During the 2008 elections, Obama and Clinton battled fiercely from February to June through the remaining caucuses and primaries. It was a close battle; however, Hilary Clinton won New Jersey. Obama did not give up to the state that he did not win the election. Nearing the end of his campaign, the unemployment rate dropped below the 8 percent point, offering reinforcement to Obama’s claim that his economic policies had on the nation. The general public realized the road to prosperity was the change necessary for the nation. Obama also gained support for his response to Hurricane Sandy that struck during his campaigning. Obama visited the devastated New Jersey shore with the governor Chris Christie that shifted support to Obama in his position of springing into action immediately. The connection between his campaign and his election results was the without the success he found in his campaign, he would have never been elected president.

In 2008, John McCain made his run for president. John McCain campaigned in New Jersey and scored a win in this state. New Jersey is typically a democratic state. However, John McCain felt it was important to campaign there regardless. McCain knew it was important to campaign everywhere, and his campaign trail made his a strong contender for becoming the 2008 President winner. It was a close race, and this can attribute to the strong campaign that each candidate participated in.

How Voters Decide

There are three general theories that explain voting behavior. These theories are the sociological models, the social-psychological model, and the rational choice model. The sociological method was established in 1940 and uses characteristics such as socio-economic status, religion, and place of residence to determine how people vote.  The social-psychological model is also known as the Michigan model. The theory is based on characteristics of the individual instead of a group. The individual’s base their voting on what they believe the candidate brings to the table that they feel are important. Finally, the rational choice model is based on the individual’s willingness to show up and vote. The choices made in the voting booth are products of rational calculation. Individuals vote for the candidate that best meets their beliefs on issues.

The Presidential elections of 2008 were ones that changed the history of the United States. Not only did Barack Obama bring promises of much-needed change to the economy, but he also was the first black president of the United States. The sociological models showed that people picked their candidate primarily on his race. They also could have considered his place of residences and religion as well. The social-psychological was were individuals found that his beliefs and positions on issues best represented their interest. Obama’s political beliefs supported what the individual felt was important. The rational choice model was that they were voting for the candidate that brought the most important positions to the table.

It is difficult to determine which political party will win the 2016 presidential election. Society is shifting to a less conservative position; therefore the majority may feel that a Democrat would support more of the issues they support. Specifically, based on the sociological models, Hilary Clinton could be a strong contender because she too will change history for American being the first female president. She also is Democratic, which could also add to the voter’s position for voting for her. The voters will have the right to show up and vote for the candidate that they best feel has the same beliefs as them.

Work Cited

Abramson, Paul R.; John H. Aldrich; & David W. Rohde. “Change and Continuity in the 2008 Elections.” Chapter 1: The Nomination Struggle, 2010. Print.

Abramson, Paul R.; John H. Aldrich; & David W. Rohde. “Change and Continuity in the 2008 Elections.” Chapter 2: The General Election Campaign, 2010. Print.

Evans, Mel. “Obama wins New Jersey; Lautenberg earns fifth Senate term.” USA Today.  5 Nov. 2008. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.

New Jersey Primary Results. New York Times. 2008. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.