A Tale of Two Campaigns or Why '92's Voters Forced a Presidential Campaign Better Than '88's and How It Could Happen Again

Abstract

This paper presents evidence showing that voters paid more attention, expected an economic policy debate, and appraised candidates more closely during the 1992 than during the 1988 presidential election campaign. By increasing candidate responsiveness, this greater voter focus helped create greater democratic accountability. But it was economic anxiety and Ross Perot, not increased civic motivation, that best explained the improvements. Can voters mobilize themselves? Not without basic changes in their civic self-concepts.