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The Circus That Wasn't: The Republican Party's Quest for Order in California's 2003 Gubernatorial Recall Election

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2021

Seth E. Masket*
Affiliation:
University of Denver, CO, USA
*
Seth E. Masket, University of Denver, Department of Political Science, 469 Sturm Hall, 2000 E. Asbury Avenue, Denver, CO 80208 Email: smasket@du.edu

Abstract

Contrary to media reports, California's 2003 recall election was anything but a circus. Despite the presence of 135 candidates, just 3 managed to split 94% of the vote, and the winner came close to achieving a majority. In this article, the author uses elite interviews and a social network analysis of campaign donations to study how the Republican Party sought to impose order on the potentially chaotic political environment. The author finds that a network of Republican donors, activists, and officeholders coordinated their efforts to advantage Arnold Schwarzenegger and pressure other Republicans out of the race.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2011

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