Polls and Elections: Leviathan's Reach? The Impact of Political Consultants on the Outcomes of the 2012 Republican Presidential Primaries and Caucuses

摘要: Recent scholarship into American political parties argues that the power to nominate presidential candidates has not entirely devolved from party voters but retains influence via a network of allied actors including consultants. Once elites coalesce around preferred candidate, primary tend comply with their will. However, yet shown whether consultants help produce this effect. Consultants, even those close contractual ties organization, do behave as view expects, and they worked for several GOP in 2012, enhancing intraparty competition rather than rallying front-runner.