Product Description

"Game changer." We heard it so many times during the 2012 U.S. presidential election. But what actually made a difference in the contestand what was just hype? In this groundbreaking book, John Sides and Lynn Vavreck tell the dramatic story of the electionwith a big difference. Using an unusual "moneyball" approach and drawing on extensive quantitative data, they look beyond the anecdote, folklore, and conventional wisdom that often pass for election analysis to separate what was truly important from what was irrelevant. combines this data with the best social science research and colorful on-the-ground reporting, providing the most accurate and precise account of the election yet writtenand the only book of its kind. In a new preface, the authors reflect on the place of in the tradition of presidential election studies, its reception to date, and possible paths for future social science research.