Abstract
Party nominations, we attempt to show by example, can be better understood by explicitly adapting certain aspects of electoral theory to the study of parties. Specifically, the common view (based mostly on impression instead of evidence) that McGovern's nomination was the result of a surge of amateurs is considered first. The implicit surge-and-decline mechanism underlying this view is elaborated in a manner making it applicable to convention delegates; then it is used for the 1972 Democrats to demonstrate that such a surge, properly interpreted, did in fact occur. The surge approach appears, however, to be useful also in the comparison of diverse nominations, to assess even a nomination representing the very opposite of an insurgent's—the nearly unanimous renomination of a president. To illustrate the potential for broader applicability, the 1972 Republican delegates are considered within the framework of amateur surges. To the extent that this approach can be successfully applied to 1972, and beyond, the study of parties may benefit from electoral theory.
Published Version
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