Fault Lines: Why the Republicans Lost Congress (Controversies in Electoral Democracy and Representation)

In some years elections bring about enduring changes to the American political scene. In 2006, a pivotal election year, the Republicans suffered a resounding defeat, losing the House and Senate for the first time since the 1994 "Republican Revolution." But what caused this pivotal shift? Fault Lines provides both a wealth of insight regarding what happened in the 2006 congressional elections and a framework to aid in understanding the possible significance of the 2006 outcome for subsequent developments in American politics. Contributors to Fault Lines, who all draw on the data from the 2006 Congressional Elections Study, include many of the nation’s most prominent and accomplished observers of Congress and congressional elections. This book promises to be an influential contribution to our understanding of Congress, congressional elections, the Bush administration, media and politics, political communication, and partisan polarization. In Some Years Elections Bring About Enduring Changes To The American Political Scene. In 2006, A Pivotal Election Year, The Republicans Suffered A Resounding Defeat, Losing The House And Senate For The First Time Since The 1994 Republican Revolution. But What Caused This Pivotal Shift? The Essays In Fault Lines Provide Both A Wealth Of Insight Regarding What Happened In The 2006 Congressional Elections And A Framework To Aid In Understanding The Possible Significance Of The 2006 Outcome For Subsequent Developments In American Politics.--book Jacket. The Context For Defeat / Dona-gene Mitchell And Jeffery J. Mondak -- Did The Media Do It? The Influence Of News Coverage On The 2006 Congressional Elections / Edward G. Carmines, Jessica C. Gerrity, And Michael W. Wagner -- Polarization, Attribution, And Communication Networks In The 2006 Congressional Elections / Matthew Buttice, Robert Huckfeldt, And John Barry Ryan -- Candidate Entry, Voter Response, And Partisan Tides In The 2002 And 2006 Elections / Walter J. Stone ... [et Al.] -- Abramoff, Email, And The Mistreated Mistress : Scandal And Character In The 2006 Elections / David J. Hendry, Robert A. Jackson, And Jeffery J. Mondak -- Perceptions And Realities Of Issue Voting / Dona-gene Mitchell -- The President, The War, And Voting Behavior In The 2006 House Elections / Gary C. Jacobson -- Americans' Perceptions Of The Nature Of Governing / John R. Hibbing, Elizabeth Theiss-morse, And Eric Whitaker. Edited By Jeffery J. Mondak, Dona-gene Mitchell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

In some years elections bring about enduring changes to the American political scene. In 2006, a pivotal election year, the Republicans suffered a resounding defeat, losing the House and Senate for the first time since the 1994 Republican Revolution. But what caused this pivotal shift? The essays in Fault Lines provide both a wealth of insight regarding what happened in the 2006 congressional elections and a framework to aid in understanding the possible significance of the 2006 outcome for subsequent developments in American politics.

Contributors to Fault Lines, who all draw on the data from the 2006 Congressional Elections Study, include many of the nation’s most prominent and accomplished observers of Congress and congressional elections. This book promises to be an influential contribution to our understanding of Congress, congressional elections, the Bush administration, media and politics, political communication, and partisan polarization.

Jeffery J. Mondak is the James M. Benson Chair of Political Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dona-Gene Mitchell is Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Social Sciences Book Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Illustrations 8 Foreword 11 Acknowledgments 14 Contributors 16 Chapter 1: The Context for Defeat 18 Chapter 2: Did the Media Do it?: The Influence of News Coverage on the 2006 Congressional Elections 39 Chapter 3: Polarization, Attribution, and Communication Networks in the 2006 Congressional Elections 59 Chapter 4: Candidate Entry,Voter Response, and Partisan Tides in the 2002 and 2006 Elections 78 Chapter 5: Abramoff, Email, and the Mistreated Mistress: Scandal and Character in the 2006 Elections 101 Chapter 6: Perceptions and Realities of Issue Voting 128 Chapter 7: The President, the War, and Voting Behavior in the 2006 House Elections 145 Chapter 8: Americans’ Perceptions of the Nature of Governing 165 Index 184