US voting behaviour: running mates

Does the second name on the ticket influence the outcome of elections?

In terms of recent elections nominees have sought to “balance the ticket”, looking for someone who has attractive features that they perhaps lack. The classic example here is the 1960 Boston-Austin axis where JFK, a young, inexperienced, liberal, Catholic chose LBJ, the Anglo-Saxon, Senate majority leader from the lone star state . More recently, Barack Obama chose Joe Biden in an attempt to torpedo any attacks about being lightweight on foreign policy. Some candidates have sought to solidify their appeal by choosing a running mate that has similar strengths. The "reinforced ticket" of Clinton-Gore in the 1990s is such an example. Academic thinking suggests running mates may not win you elections, but they could potentially weaken your prospects if you get it wrong - Sarah Palin in 2008 is often cited here.

So there are a couple of sources here to use as classroom stimulus as part of an investigation into this debate. The video seems to over-hype the importance of running mates, but it has some good examples. The article from the Economist has a somewhat cooler head. Unfortunately, it requires registration to access the full article (but most of the Economist is free for school students).

The Economist article is here.

Some related questions.

Questions:
1. Who did John F. Kennedy pick as his running-mate in the 1960 election?
2. Why did Kennedy choose Lyndon Johnson as his vice-presidential candidate?
3. How did Lyndon Johnson travel across the South during the election campaign?
4. What role did Johnson play in helping Kennedy win the southern states?
5. What did Kennedy admit about winning the South without Johnson after the election?
6. Is it now commonly believed that Johnson's efforts helped secure the South for Kennedy?
7. How much impact do vice-presidential picks have on election outcomes according to the text?

Correct answers:
1. John F. Kennedy picked Lyndon Johnson as his running-mate in the 1960 election.
2. Kennedy chose Johnson hoping that he would help him in southern states.
3. Lyndon Johnson travelled across the South in a train nicknamed the LBJ Express.
4. Johnson played a crucial role in helping Kennedy win the southern states.
5. Kennedy admitted that they couldn't have carried the South without Johnson after the election.
6. It is now received wisdom that Johnson's efforts delivered the South for Kennedy.
7. The text does not provide a clear answer on how much difference vice-presidential picks actually make in elections.