The elections of 2004 /

This is the sixth installment in a series that began with Michael Nelson's The Elections of 1984 (1985). As Nelson (Rhodes College) notes in his introductory essay placing the elections of 2004 in historical context, George W. Bush is only the fifth post-WW II president to win reelection. But Bush's victory was quite different from the "lonely landslides" of his four predecessors. In 2004 the Republicans also increased their House and Senate majorities. How and why did this happen? What might be the consequences of this unusual series of elections? These are the core questions addressed in nine chapters by a distinguished team of ten political scientists. Like its predecessor publications, this anthology increases understanding of not only the presidential and congressional races and what shaped the electorates' candidate preferences but also the role of the media, the Internet, and campaign finance. Another excellent analysis is James W. Ceaser and Andrew Busch's Red over Blue: The Elections and American Politics (CH, Nov'05, 43-1861), which covers similar topics and also extends the analysis to include outcomes in gubernatorial and state initiative contests. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All libraries. E. C. Dreyer emeritus, University of Tulsa