The Curious and Close Presidential Campaign of 2000

The Presidential Election of 2000 between Republican Governor George W. Bush of Texas and Democratic Vice President Al Gore was the closest presidential election in American history, and there have been a number of very close presidential contests. Presidential campaigns are often discussed as though they were a game. In one respect this trivializes campaigns. Unlike a mere game, presidential elections determine who serves as president, and this makes an important difference to how the nation is governed, and what public policies are adopted and this affects peoples’ lives in many important ways. The campaign is an important mechanism for rallying partisans. In a close election like 2000, anything can make the difference between winning and losing, and the campaign was certainly crucial. However, the net impact of the campaign in shifting votes one way or the other need not be great in order to have an impact.