The Best Candidate: Presidential Nomination in Polarized Times [Hardcover]

Leading scholars examine the law governing the American presidential nomination process and offer practical ideas for reform.With chapters penned by leading election law scholars from across the political spectrum, this volume illuminates the law behind the presidential nomination process in the United States. Offering realistic solutions for reforming this process, the work should be read by anyone who cares about the occupant of the Oval Office.With chapters penned by leading election law scholars from across the political spectrum, this volume illuminates the law behind the presidential nomination process in the United States. Offering realistic solutions for reforming this process, the work should be read by anyone who cares about the occupant of the Oval Office.The way American citizens elect a president in November is enshrined in the Constitution and has remained unchanged for two hundred years. By contrast, the rules by which American political parties nominate their presidential candidates have evolved dramatically over time. In recent years, these byzantine rules have allowed a number of unexpected candidates to win their party's presidential nomination. In The Best Candidate, a roster of leading election law scholars from across the political spectrum - true-blue Democrats, die-hard Republicans, and everyone in between - illuminate the law behind the modern presidential nomination process and offer ideas for how it can be improved. This book offers a blueprint for how American voters and their parties could nominate the best candidate for the presidency, and it should be read by anyone who cares about the occupant of the Oval Office.1. Presidential selection: historical, institutional, and democratic perspectives James A. Gardner; 2. The historical development of the U.S. presidential nomination process Richard H. Pildes; 3. Constitutional law and the presidential nomination process Richard Briffault; 4. Winnowing and endorsing: separating the two distinclSg