The Importance of Issue Domains in American Presidential Elections

• In Event: Dimensions of Electoral Competition

Abstract

Political behavior researchers have begun to regard issues as not as relevant to voting behavior as other factors. Particularly, they see party identification and net partisan affect as being the most important aspects of a person's vote choice, leaving little room for ideology and issues. However, I find that the issue domains of economics (the government's role in the economy), race, morality, and immigration are influential when a particular candidate emphasizes them in his/her electoral campaign. Although party ID and net partisan affect are still important factors, issue domains can play an equally important role (sometimes even overshadowing them).

Author

• Marcos Menchaca, University of Texas at El Paso