Party Coordination in House Primary Elections

• In Event: Winning the Nomination: An Examination of Campaign Strategy in Primary Elections

Abstract

Recent work has documented the strong influence that parties have on the process and outcomes of primary elections. The support of party elites and central actors in the party network has a strong influence on who runs in the primary and how well they do. Yet parties do not always coordinate on a particular candidate. Indeed, in many instances, party elites are divided in their support and preferences for particular candidates. This paper examines the process of primary elections for the U.S. House between 2004 and 2018 to understand the influence of district, party, and candidate characteristics that affect the ability of parties to coordinate on a preferred candidate in the primary. Understanding how and when party coordination happens allows us to better understand the process by which parties coordinate, influence the nomination process, and ultimately shape primary election outcomes.

Author

• Hans J.G. Hassell, Florida State University