What is individualization of campaigning?

Answer 1

· Once, political parties played a major role in the developing, financing and directing of political campaigns. And at the state and local levels still do some today. However, political campaigning today has become more focused on the candidate than the party.

· Today, especially at the national level, candidates raise tens of millions of dollars (hundreds of millions on the Presidential level) for their campaign, sometimes before they ever officially declare themselves to be candidates. This front loading of campaign finance money weakens the need for party contributions to conduct a successful campaign.

· Gone are the days of the political machines when voters could be persuaded to vote for a slates of party candidates based on what the party would do for them. Today, it is candidate centered campaigning, which asks the voter to vote for the candidate because of what he/she can do for the voter, not what the party can do. Primary elections, pitting candidates from the same political party against one another, helps fuel this individualists approach.

Answer 2

Individualization of campaigning refers to the practice of tailoring political messages and advertisements to specific voters based on their demographic information, interests, and behaviors. This approach allows political campaigns to target and engage with voters on a more personal level, increasing the likelihood of connecting with and persuading them.