The Coattail Effect: From Theory To Practical Application

In this guide, well explore how the term coattail effect came into the national vocabulary, what campaigns have served as poignant examples of the coattail effect, and how we can approach this concept in the context of the 2024 elections. Using presidential coattail literature as his theoretical foundation, hogan notes how coattails defined in this manner have largely been tested in national elections. The coattail effect is a phenomenon whereby a political candidate or leaders popularity leads to improved vote totals for fellow party candidates further down the ballot. A coattail refers to a part of the coat extending below the waist that provides extra coverage. The coattail effect, a phenomenon where an incumbent president's performance influences the electoral success of their vice president, is a critical yet underexplored dynamic in political.

In the 2016 presidential election, for example, the republican establishment became increasingly concerned about its candidates for u. s. Senate and house when it became clear donald trump was a formidable candidate. Democrats, meantime, had their own polarizing candidate to worry about: