Campaign matter, as described, includes which of the following?

• A. Assigning credit and blame for the state of the nation
• B. Activating latent partisanship
• C. Judging the qualities of candidates
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Campaign matter includes how voters form judgments about who deserves support based on three intertwined ideas. First, campaigns frame who gets credit or blame for how the nation is doing. If the economy is weak or a policy seems unpopular, the incumbent government can be blamed, and campaigns shape how voters attribute responsibility to leaders, parties, or policies. Second, campaigns activate latent partisanship by reminding people of party loyalties and cues, turning quiet or undecided voters into participants who identify with a side and vote along those lines. Third, campaigns present and compare the qualities of the candidates—experience, leadership, character, and competence—so voters can judge who is more capable of leading. Since campaign material typically blends these elements, all three aspects together describe what campaign matter encompasses.