THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE 2016 discusses the legal, political, and financial framework in which the presidential election occurs; the process by which the parties nominate their standard bearers and position themselves for the general election; the strategies, tactics, and operations of the presidential campaigns; the news media's role; and the attitudes, opinions, and decisions of the voters and what those decisions augur for policy and government once the election is over. This edition emphasizes the changes that have revolutionized electoral politics in recent years, including the flood of money to and from Super PACs, instantaneous communications, digital campaigning, and microtargeting messaging. It also offers updates and insights on topics pertinent to every presidential election, such as the nomination and Electoral College systems, news coverage, television debates, political commercials, partisan appeals, voting patterns, and election forecasts, polls, and analysis.

Part I: THE ELECTORAL ARENA.
1. Presidential Selection: A Historical Overview.
2. Campaign Finance.
3. The Political Environment.
Part II: THE NOMINATION.
4. Party Rules and Their Impact: The Legal Environment.
5. Campaigning for the Nomination.
6. The Post-Primary, Election Campaign.
Part III: THE GENERAL ELECTION.
7. Strategy, Tactics, and Operations.
8. Media Politics.
Part IV: THE ELECTION.
9. Understanding Presidential Elections.
10. Reforming the Electoral System.
APPENDIX.
Results of Presidential Elections, 1900–2012.

THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE 2016 discusses the legal, political, and financial framework in which the presidential election occurs; the process by which the parties nominate their standard bearers and position themselves for the general election; the strategies, tactics, and operations of the presidential campaigns; the news media's role; and the attitudes, opinions, and decisions of the voters and what those decisions augur for policy and government once the election is over. This edition emphasizes the changes that have revolutionized electoral politics in recent years, including the flood of money to and from Super PACs, instantaneous communications, digital campaigning, and microtargeting messaging. It also offers updates and insights on topics pertinent to every presidential election, such as the nomination and Electoral College systems, news coverage, television debates, political commercials, partisan appeals, voting patterns, and election forecasts, polls, and analysis. New! All boxes, tables, and figures have been updated to include the 2012 nominations and election. New! The author offers insights into the impact of the Citizen's United Supreme Court decision on campaign finance and the demise of public funding. New! Coverage includes changes in the 2012 Republican nomination process as well as This edition updates and integrates the new political science literature on campaign finance, parties, presidential campaigning, and news media coverage as well as that on forecasting and analyzing the 2012 vote. Wayne discusses the continued polarity of the American polity and the strategies to capitalize on that fact to win elections. With its focus on the facts of how the presidential election system works and its summaries of the state of the art and science of presidential electoral politics today, this text is a must for any study of presidential elections. Boxes (e.g., "Notorious Negativity," "The Problems with Polls") highlight important aspects of the chapter material. "Where on the Web?" features provide lists of relevant websites for further exploration. Exercises at the end of each chapter suggest opportunities for students to further explore the issues presented in the chapter, whether through online research projects or involvement with the political process.