Abstract
This paper explores the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primaries through the lens of Marty Cohen's The Party Decides model. The model utilizes five key indicators in helping to predict who the party will decide as the nominee: widespread voter approval, key endorsements, fundraising, media coverage, and success in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. While the model has been an indicator for almost 50 years, two of the five recent primaries have shown that the candidates are the exception to the rule. This paper will either prove whether or not the exception becomes the rule, if the rule is no longer reliable, or if the model will hold true. In analyzing the top five candidates throughout the invisible primary and 10 key primaries and caucuses, this paper will determine the model's reliability.
Thesis Completion
2020
Semester
Spring
Thesis Chair/Advisor
Knuckey, Jonathan
Co-Chair
Ilderton, Nathan
Degree
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
College
College of Sciences
Department
Political Science
Degree Program
Political Science
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Release Date
5-1-2020
Recommended Citation
Trittin, Emma, "The Party Decides, or Does It?: An In-depth Analysis of the 2020 Presidential Primaries and the Democratic Party's Influence" (2020). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 768.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses/768
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