In which regions and political cultures are people most likely to vote?

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You have just been hired to organize and manage the 2014 Gubernatorial Campaign for Jane Bitzi Johnson Miller. She is the granddaughter of former governor Joe Big Daddy Johnson (Governor in a fictional Texas from 1954-1958) and a conservative Republican. She was born and raised in west Texas in a ranch. Divorced, with two grown children, she started her own software company in Dallas in1993- she sold it to Dell in 2010 for $2.5 million. Based on what you know about the history, geography, economy and political culture of Texas, advise Bitzi Johnson Miller on how she should run her campaign. Based on the lectures, course readings and an analysis of the distribution of presidential and gubernatorial votes in 2010 (http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2010-general-election/2010-texas-governors-race-maps/) develop a campaign plan that addresses the following questions (answer the questions in your paper, not just listing responses 1 through 5):

1. Where (in what regions of the state) is she likely to do well? Where will she have problems?

2. In which regions and political cultures are people most likely to vote? Will the issues she focuses on vary by region or part of the state?

3. Which ideological (conservative or liberal), ethnic (black, white or Hispanic) and economic (poor, wealthy or middle class) groups are likely to support her?

4. Identify at least three issues that will be important to your campaign.

.5. If you hear a rumor that your opponent was involved in an incidence of domestic violence (a dispute with his wife), but no charges were filed. Would you make that a campaign issue? Why or why not?

Please find and read three articles on the election between Rick Perry and Bill White (Governor, 2010). Based on what you read in those three articles and your responses to the four questions above, evaluate Bitzis chances of becoming the next Governor of Texas?

Your Paper should include (Total of 5-6 pages minimum 4 pages of text):

Title Page (title of paper, date, class and your name)

Picture of your candidate (download a picture of what you think Bitzi Johnson Miller would look like)

Body of the Paper: Introduction: Introductory paragraph describing the candidate.

Cultural and Regional Support: Her likely strength among the different historic political cultures (traditionalistic, moralistic and individualistic) and geographic regions of Texas.

Demographic Support: Section describing key groups (ideological, racial and economic) likely to vote for her and why.

Campaign Themes: Present three issues that will be the central focus of your campaign and explain why you selected those issues and not others.