Author Description

In this new edition, Flanigan and Zingale continue their outstanding analytical overview of the political behavior of the American voter. The 2004 elections demonstrated, once again, the capacity of the electorate to surprise and confound political pundits, public opinion analysts, and even academics. The surprise not only stems from the closeness of the contests, but also from the country's apparent partisan polarization, geographic division, and social cleavages.Incorporating the results of the 2004 presidential and congressional races, the authors continue to ask questions that get at the core of voters' political behavior and present their findings and analysis within historical context: Who votes and why? Are Americans committed to upholding basic democratic values? How does partisanship affect political behavior? How do economic and social factors influence individuals' politics and choices?Updated throughout, the authors discuss the implications of homeland security and the war on terror on the electorate and pay increased attention to polarization and ideology, as well as presenting and exploring new data. Additionally, their chapter on political culture is now centered on the idea of electoral democracy. Utilizing the best time-series data available, Flanigan and Zingale reliably provide students with a rich, broad survey of elections and the changes that have occurred in American political behavior over the past 50 years.