Winning the Presidency, 2016

Product Description The presidential election of 2016 was unlike any in modern American history. Donald Trump, a successful businessman, well known reality television host and a political novice with no clear policy views or political attachments, ran for the presidency. His opponent was Hillary Clinton, a candidate with a long and impressive career in politics. She was the first woman nominee of a major political party and, should she have won, the first woman president of the United States. No one gave Trump much of a chance. Yet he won the election. How did he do it? What explains his political success? What can we expect from a Trump presidency? This book answers these questions. It presents a clear and definitive overview of his campaign, it controversies and setbacks and its successes. Winning the Presidency 2016 identifies who voted for Donald Trump and why. It explains why Hillary Clinton lost. Essential reading for understanding a campaign with no precedents and a presidential election that could have seismic consequences for the conduct of American government. Review Praise for Winning the Presidency 2016William Crotty and his colleagues have given us a serious and informative book on the 2016 election, which will nourish both citizens and scholars. Both America and the rest of the world badly need it.Thomas Ferguson, University of Massachusetts-Boston, USAThis is an excellent volume for courses on U.S. elections and the presidency. Nine highly distinguished political science scholars examine an election that was unconventional and divisive – or, in the case of the congressional elections, conventional and divisive – to explain why this election defied expectations, and to consider whether 2016 is the new normal.Christine L. Day, University of New Orleans, USA Winning the Presidency 2016 is a very fine, sober, insightful, and literate analysis of a most shocking election. Through wise and deep analysis that will appeal to scholars, students, and political observers, the authors explain how it happened and what it means, weighing a wide variety of factors – American history, contemporary culture, the campaigns and vote counts, and the state of our democracy.James A. Morone, Brown University, USAWilliam Crotty has organized eight excellent, penetrating studies of the 2016 presidential election, the most significant election in this century. Scholars and students alike will welcome this new collection.Kenneth J. Janda, Northwestern University, USANo nine mortals can be expected to explain the inexplicable, but William Crotty and his stellar cast have taken on the challenge and produced a set of insights well worth the read. It’s an explanation of many parts: The roles of institutions, campaigns, candidates, voters, social media, meddling, and luck (good and bad) are all well-explored. In the process, and very importantly, the authors don’t ignore the "normal" while highlighting the many unique features of the 2016 election. As for implications, the book offers not just a significant list of challenges, but also some reasons for hope.Robert Harmel, Texas A&M University, USAThe 2016 US election season was like nothing we have seen before. Its centerpiece ― the election of Donald J. Trump ― has confounded (most) predictions and drawn US democracy into unchartered territory. This new study, edited by one of the founding fathers of the study of American party politics, William Crotty, provides a much-needed perspective on what happened, why it happened, and what it all means for politics and democracy in the US and the world over.David Farrell, University College Dublin, UK Winning the Presidency is a powerful, sobering analysis of the 2016 election. Outstanding contributors apply the best political science theories and data to determine what happened and, more importantly, what it foretells of our political future. The book asks and forcefully answers the question, Has our very democracy been undermined or is