A widespread perception exists among political commentators, campaign operatives and presidential candidates that vice presidential (VP) running mates can deliver their home state's electoral votes in a presidential election. In recent elections, presidential campaigns have even changed their strategy in response to the perceived VP home state advantage. But is the advantage real? And could it decide a presidential election? In the most comprehensive analysis to date, Devine and Kopko demonstrate that the VP home state advantage is actually highly conditional and rarely decisive in the Electoral College. However, it could change the outcome of a presidential election under narrow but plausible conditions. Sophisticated in its methodology and rich in historical as well as contemporary insight, The VP Advantage is essential and accessible reading for anyone interested in understanding how running mates influence presidential elections.
Christopher J. Devine is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Ohio, USAKyle C. Kopko is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Elizabethtown College, Pennsylvania, USA
Preface1. Origins and evolution of the vice presidential home state advantage2. The home state advantage is dead ... long live the home state advantage!3. When perception becomes campaign reality4. An empirical analysis of the vice presidential home state advantage (state-level data)5. An empirical analysis of the vice presidential home state advantage (individual-level data)6. Did LBJ really 'deliver' Texas ... and the South?7. Has the vice presidential home state advantage ever decided an election?8. Who votes for the running mate, anyway?9: The VP advantageAppendix A: Documentation of media 'veepstakes' coverageAppendix B: Fixed effects model of Democratic vote share with interaction terms, 1884-2012Index
'Those looking for a comprehensive assessment of the impact of VP candidates in presidential elections will welcome this book.'Richard Berry, LSE July 2016
