Republican National Convention

vs.
Democratic National Convention 2016

Joint Crisis Committee

Chairs & Crisis Director: Brett Parker, Matthew Cohen,
Alex Richard, and Joe Troderman

Hello Everyone!

My name is Brett Parker, and I will be the Chair for the Republican National Committee
in this Joint Crisis Committee (JCC). I am looking forward to meeting all of you this fall!
I'm currently a junior at Stanford, double majoring in political science and philosophy.
On campus, I am the Managing Editor for the Stanford Political Journal (shameless plug: check
out my author archive at http://stanfordpolitics.com/author/bparker2/! You might get some hints
as to my perspective on the 2016 elections). I am also the Membership Director for the Stanford
Democrats, an editorial board member for the Dualist Undergraduate Journal of Philosophy, and
an enthusiastic member of the Stanford Model United Nations Team!
In 2013, I chaired the 1960 presidential election JCC for SMUNC. In 2014, I was offcampus during SMUNC working for the Maine Democratic Party during the midterm elections.
I missed SMUNC, and I am thrilled to be back this year. Alex, Matthew, Joe, and myself have
put a lot of work into planning this committee, and we are extremely excited for a fast-paced,
dynamic election simulation.
You should all be aware, though, that there are a few aspects of this committee that are
different from a standard MUN General Assembly. First, this is a Joint Crisis Committee. That
means that the delegates are split into two separate, but interacting committees. One of these
will be the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and the other will be the Republican
National Committee (RNC). These committees are being run in separate rooms, but
contemporaneously, meaning any actions taken by the DNC will be reflected in the RNC, and
visa versa. Each committee will be expected to react to choices made by the other committee as
both barrel towards Election Day.
Second, this committee is a crisis committee. In a crisis committee, delegates can take
actions as individuals, in addition to taking actions as a committee. For instance, if a delegate
were representing DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, she would have the power to
take any action DWS could take in real life. For example, the delegate representing DWS could

Stanford Model United Nations Conference 2015

order her congressional aids to introduce a bill in the House changing election laws. To take this
sort of individual action, a delegate writes a note to crisis (our crisis staffers) detailing what
she would like to have done, and a plan for accomplishing it. If crisis thinks the plan is realistic
and feasible, they will allow the delegate to take that action, irrespective of whether other
members of the committee would approve. In this manner, an individual delegate can change the
course of the committee.
Regarding position papers, please try to make them no longer than a single page, single
spaced. These papers should include a brief description of your goals for your party committee,
goals for your character, potential actions you would like the committee to take, and potential
actions your character might take on her own. A short to mid-length paragraph for each section
would be sufficient.
All of the staff of this committee will be working hard to ensure it is a memorable
experience for all of you. Please reach out to me if you have any questions at all about the
committee in the run-up to SMUNC.

Sincerely,
Brett Parker
RNC Chair
bparker2@stanford.edu

Stanford Model United Nations Conference 2015

Dear Delegates,
Welcome to the 2016 General Election! This fall, you get three days to steer either the
Democratic National Committee or the Republican National Committee. While it is difficult to
determine the outcome of the 2016 elections before even the first voting of any kind, the Iowa
Caucuses, one thing is certain: the Senate and White House are up for grabs and there is no clear
party destined to control either one.
My name is Matthew, and for this simulation, I will be the chair of the DNC,
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). I am a sophomore majoring in Political
Science and considering majoring in Earth Systems, as well. Originally from Orange County,
California, I never did MUN in high school, but have enjoyed the college MUN experience. As
of now, I do not have a strong desire to pursue international relations, but I do enjoy learning
skills such as negotiating and debating through MUN.
I decided to be part of this committee because I love politics and am especially interested
in the 2016 elections. With unresolved issues like global warming, income inequality, and race
relations, the outcome of the next elections will have a profound impact on where we are heading
as a nation.
With such high stakes, I am looking for passionate and knowledgeable delegates who will
be able to steer the DNC to a landslide victory. Leading up to the conference, I suggest regularly
reading articles from Politico, The New York Times, and other reputable news outlets to make
sure that you are up to date. Also, the DailyKos has a great election section that can give you a
lot of information (albeit, it's slightly biased) about the senate elections that major news outlets
will not pick up (See an example here).

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If you have any questions don't hesitate to email me. I look forward to working with you
all.
Best Regards,
Matthew Cohen
DNC Chair
mcohen18@stanford.edu

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Welcome delegates,

I am Alex Richard, and I will be the Crisis Director for the Democratic National
Committee. It is my pleasure to welcome you to this session of the Stanford Model United
Nations Conference.
I'm currently a senior at Stanford, studying Computer Science. I was born in Boston, MA,
but grew up in Atlanta, GA. On campus, I have been our MUN team co-captain; at SMUNC, I've
chaired the IAEA, the Jewish-Roman War, the American Civil War (USA), and been the
Director of Logistics and Director of Business Affairs.
I am very excited to meet all of you and see how you react to our crises. If you have any
questions or concerns about the committee, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best,
Alex Richard
DNC Crisis Director
richard4@stanford.edu

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Dear Delegates,
Welcome to the 2016 Presidential Election JCC of the 2015 Stanford Model United
Nations Conference! My name is Joe Troderman, and I will be the Crisis Director for the
Republican National Committee.
Elections are turbulent and exhausting to run, but I have faith that you are all up to the
challenge! As Brett has already noted, all of you in the RNC will be in communication with me
to make your behind-the-scenes actions become political reality. You will be challenged not just
by the Democrats in this election, but also internally by your party. After eight years without the
presidency the question of what the new Republican party should look like is not one without
turbulence to it. You can expect some standard challenges, but this wouldnt be a crisis without a
few curveballs, so always be on the ready!
This is my first time working on a JCC, but I am excited to work on this with you and
have lots of experience with MUN crises. Last year, I was the Undersecretary-General for Crisis
Operations for SMUNC, meaning that I managed all of the crisis directors for the conference.
The year before that, I was crisis director for The French Revolution (of 1789).
I am a senior at Stanford majoring in Chemical Engineering. Like Alex, I was also born
in Bostonbut Im a Bostonian through and through, and didnt leave there until I moved out to
California for school. I joined Stanfords Model United Nations Traveling Team my freshman
spring, having never done MUN in high school. I always thought MUN was just General
Assemblies when I was your age, and so when I was exposed to the concept of a crisis
committee in college, I knew I had found something that interested me greatly. It is my hope that
you all experience the same joy I have always received from crisis committees in my time at
Stanford.

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Outside of MUN, I am very involved in the chemical engineering community on campus,

where I participate in research and am the president of our chemical engineering social group,
AIChE. I am also a writer for our humor publication on campus, The Flipside (you can find us
online too, but unlike Brett, you will not find any hints of my political leanings from our
website).
I look forward to meeting you all this fall and watching as you grow to learn how crisis
committees work and adapt to the setting of a JCC. If you have any questions for me, you are
always welcome to get in touch!

Best,
Joe Troderman
RNC Crisis Director
jtrod93@stanford.edu

Stanford Model United Nations Conference 2015

Background Guide
Introduction to the Party Committees
The DNC
What is the Democratic National Committee? The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has
been in existence for nearly 170 years, and is the central organization of the national Democratic
Party.1 It is responsible for the every-day functioning of the Party, and for supporting Democrats
running for public office. The DNC is composed of over 400 members (excluding staff),
including the chair and vice-chair of each state Democratic Party, and representatives selected by
the state parties.2 The committee also has over 70 at large members which are nominated by the
DNC Chairwoman.3

Day-to-Day Responsibilities: In order to keep the Party up and running, the DNC has a full-time
staff working to maintain the organizations infrastructure. This staff is responsible for
fundraising, filing Federal Election Commission (FEC) disclosure forms, ensuring compliance
with FEC regulations, managing the Partys public image, strengthening the state Democratic
Parties, developing campaign tools, doing political research, holding events, and dealing with the
logistics.4 This work is overseen by the DNCs CEO (sometimes known as its Executive
Director).5

"Our Party." Democrats.org. The Democratic National Committee, 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
<https://www.democrats.org/about/our-party>.
2
"The Democratic National Committee." Democrats.org. The Democratic National Committee, 2015. Web. 20 Aug.
2015. <https://www.democrats.org/organization/the-democratic-national-committee>.
3
Appleman, Eric. "Democratic National Committee 2015." P2016.org. Democracy in Action, 2015. Web. 20 Aug.
2015.
4
"Work With Us." Democrats.org. The Democratic National Committee, 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
<https://www.democrats.org/about/work-with-us>.
5
Supra at fn 4.

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While the every-day functions of the DNC are important, they will not be a focus of this
JCC. Instead, we will focusing on the campaign functions of the DNC, which ramp up in
Presidential years.

Campaign Functions: The more glamorous part of the DNC function is to assist Democratic
candidates in winning public office. Chief among the concerns of the DNC is electing a
Democrat to the White House, but it is also deeply invested in ensuring Democratic control of
the U.S House and Senate. To a lesser extend, the DNC is involved in supporting Democratic
candidates for governor, and winning control of state legislative bodies.6
The DNC spends heavily to support its candidates. In 2012, it burned through $319
million, much of which went to waging President Obamas reelection campaign.7 However,
millions were also spent to ensure Democratic control of the Senate, and to make gains in the
House. For instance, the DNC contributed over $7.2 million to the North Dakota Democratic
Party in a successful bid to elect underdog Heidi Heitkamp to the Senate.8 It also dropped over
$700,000 in Missouri to aid incumbent Claire McCaskills difficult reelection bid.9 In 2014, a
midterm year, the DNC spent a more modest $165 million,10 much of which went to supporting
the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and the Democratic Congress
Campaign Committee (DCCC).11 However, the DNC also funneled money directly into state

Supra at fn. 2.
"Democratic National Cmte." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 16 Apr. 2013. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
8
"Democratic National Cmte: Expenditures." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 22 Aug. 2013. Web.
20 Aug. 2015.
9
Supra at fn. 8.
10
"Democratic National Cmte." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 6 Apr. 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
11
"Democratic National Cmte: Expenditures." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 18 Mar. 2015.
Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
7

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party organizations in North Carolina, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Alaska, Colorado, and
elsewhere, hoping to hold competitive Senate seats.12
This level of spending requires prodigious fundraising efforts. President Obama
undertakes a substantial fundraising burden himself, appearing at dozens of events on the DNCs
behalf.13 Meanwhile, DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz practically lives to
fundraise, attending an astounding 885 events during the 2012 election cycle.14 Numerous other
prominent politicians have appeared for the DNC, including Bill and Hillary Clinton.15, 16
Retired individuals were the demographic that contributed the most to the DNC in 2012,
giving over $28 million.17 Lawyers placed second adding over $21 million to the DNCs haul,
followed by securities and investment interests, and then by the entertainment industry.18
Individually, Time Warner Cable, Google Inc, Microsoft Corp, Blackstone Group, and Harvard
University were the five largest DNC donors.19
In addition to raising and spending money, the DNC also wages vigorous PR campaigns.
It publishes press releases with increasing frequency as election day approaches, and runs a
disciplined message campaign.20 Its PR efforts are aimed at maintaining and strengthening the
Partys national image, but also at damaging the Republican brand. For evidence, one need look

12

Supra at fn. 11.

Oliphant, James. "Why Won't Democrats Talk About Obama's Fundraising?" Www.nationaljournal.com. National
Journal, 24 Sept. 2014. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
14
Palmer, Anna, and Jake Sherman. "DNC Chair Looks to Leverage Money into Power." POLITICO. POLITICO, 2
Aug. 2013. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
15
"Obama, Clinton To Highlight DNC Fundraiser." TheHuffingtonPost.com. The Huffington Post, 27 Aug. 2014.
Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
16
Gordan, Greg, and Anita Kumar. "Bill Clinton's Wall Street Cash Puts Wife in an Ethical Spot." Mcclatchydc.
N.p., 2 June 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
17
"Democratic National Cmte: Industries." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 25 Mar. 2013. Web.
20 Aug. 2015.
18
Supra at fn. 17.
19
"Democratic National Cmte: Top Contributors." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 25 Mar. 2013.
Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
20
"Press." Democrats.org. The Democratic National Committee, 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
<https://www.democrats.org/more/press>.
13

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no further than its various press releases responding to Republican presidential candidates
campaign announcements. In response to Jeb Bushs campaign launch, the DNC Chairwoman
declared, what makes the specter of a Jeb Bush presidency even more unpalatable is his belief
in his own superiority and infallibility in my 22 years in elected office I have never worked
with someone who is as inflexible, uncompromising, and willing to do whatever it takes to get
their way as Jeb Bush. These are not the qualities Americans need in their president if we are
going to work together to get things done..21 Of course, Bush got off easy as compared to Mike
Huckabee, about whom the DNC press secretary opined, Its one thing to spout off nonsense on
his TV show, but for Mike Huckabee to present his ideas as legitimate policies for a presidential
campaign is insulting to the American people, though I can't say I am particularly surprised. I
mean, have you heard the rest of the Republican hopefuls?22 As the 2016 campaign
approaches, the DNC can be expected to attack its Republican opposition with ever increasing
ferocity. The DNC will also spend money on television and radio advertising during the general
election.
Beyond fundraising and messaging, the DNC also is responsible for organizing and
executing the Democratic National Convention. The Convention occurs every four years during
the Presidential election, and is the stage on which the Party formally nominates its Presidential
and Vice Presidential candidates. While the identity of the Partys Presidential candidate is
usually determined prior to the Convention, the Partys Platform often is not. The Platform is
negotiated and voted on by Convention delegates, and sets the Partys national agenda.23 Of
course, not every Democrat will agree with every point in the platform, but it is nevertheless an

21

Supra at fn. 20.

Supra at fn. 20.
23
"Our Platform." Democrats.org. The Democratic National Committee, 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
<https://www.democrats.org/party-platform>.
22

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important document. For example, in 1948, the Democratic National Convention adopted a procivil rights plank in its platform, over the strenuous objections of Southern Democrats.24 This
plank helped push the Party in a more progressive direction, and eventually led to the nomination
of pro-civil rights candidates such as John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson.25
As this JCC will be taking place after the 2016 DNC, delegates wont need to worry
about planning and fundraising for the DNC. However, delegates will receive a list of the
positions taken in the Party Platform, and may have to deal with any fall-out from the
Convention.

24
25

Hamby, Alonzo. "1948 Democratic Convention." Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian, Aug. 2008. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
Supra at fn. 24.

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The RNC
What is the Republican National Committee? The Republican National Committee (RNC) is the
Republican Party analogue to the DNC. It hasnt been around quite as long (only about 159
years),26 and its composition is slightly different. Each state receives three representatives to the
RNC: their chairperson, their national committeewoman, and their national committeeman.27
The various U.S territories and the District of Columbia receive the same representation. When
all positions are filled, the RNC has only 168 voting members, far fewer than the DNCs 400+
voting members.28 The RNC also has a 28 person Executive Committee, which governs the
Party in between full committee meetings.29 Chief of Staff Katie Walsh and Chief Operating
Officer Sean Cairncross oversee the RNC staff.30 However, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus is
the formal leader of the RNC.31

Day-to-Day Responsibilities: Like the DNC, the RNC is tasked with keeping the Party running
on a daily basis. Its staff is also responsible for fundraising, filing Federal Election Commission
(FEC) disclosure forms, ensuring compliance with FEC regulations, managing the Partys public
image, strengthening the state Republican Parties, developing campaign tools, doing political
research, holding events, and dealing with the logistics.32 In this JCC, we will not be focusing on
the day-to-day responsibilities of the RNC.

26

"History of the GOP." GOP. Republican National Committee, 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
Appleman, Eric. "Republican National Committee - 2015." P2016.org. Democracy in Action, 2015. Web. 21 Aug.
2015.
28
Supra at fn 27.
29
Supra at fn. 27.
30
Supra at fn. 27.
31
Supra at fn. 27.
32
Supra at fn. 27.
27

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Campaign Functions: Like the DNC, the RNCs main goal is to elect Republican candidates to
public office. It is primarily concerned with retaking the Presidency in 2016, but is also
committed to maintaining its majorities in the U.S House and Senate.33 The RNC also supports
Republican gubernatorial candidates, and seeks to hold Republican control of the majority of
state legislatures.34
The RNC also raises copious amounts of money during election years to support
Republican candidates. During the 2012 election cycle, it spent over $404 million,35 a large
portion of which went to running Mitt Romneys failed campaign.36 However, some of that
money also went to supporting House and Senate candidates, including Tommy Thompson of
Wisconsin, and Senator Dean Heller of Nevada.37 In 2014, the RNC spent over $196 million,38
with much of that money going to support Senate candidates in Iowa, Colorado, North Carolina,
Virginia, and Arkansas, among others.39
The RNCs largest contributors in 2012 were Goldman Sachs, Ryan for Congress, KRR
& Co, Bain Capital, and Blackstone Group.40 It also raised a plurality of its money from retired
individuals, followed by the Securities and Investment industry, the Real Estate industry, the
Finance industry, and the Oil and Gas industry.41 RNC chairman Reince Priebus absorbs much

33

"2016 Republican Platform Survey." GOP. Republican National Committee, 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
Supra at fn. 27.
35
"Republican National Cmte." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 16 Apr. 2013. Web. 20 Aug.
2015.
36
"Republican National Cmte: Expenditures For and Against Candidates" Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive
Politics, 16 Apr. 2013. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
37
"Republican National Cmte: Expenditures" Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 22 Aug. 2013. Web.
20 Aug. 2015.
38
"Republican National Cmte" Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 6 Apr. 2015. Web. 20 Aug. 2015.
39
"Republican National Cmte: Expenditures" Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 18 Mar. 2015. Web.
20 Aug. 2015.
40
"Republican National Cmte: Contributors" Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 25 Mar. 2013. Web.
20 Aug. 2015.
41
"Republican National Cmte: Industries" Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 25 Mar. 2013. Web. 20
Aug. 2015.
34

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of the fundraising burden himself,42 but Republican luminaries such as Mitt Romney and Jeb
Bush have also made fundraising appearances.43,44 Additionally, the RNC raises substantial
funds from selling items such as George H.W Bush autographed socks, and Dick Cheney
autographed cowboy hats.45
The RNCs PR efforts are no less ambitious than those of the DNC. Much of its efforts
have sought to paint Democratic candidates as unfit for office, and to promote their own
candidates records of accomplishment.46 Specifically, the RNC will continue to attack Hillary
Clinton as deceitful and incompetent in the strongest terms possible.47 Upon her official
Presidential announcement in April 2015, it released a statement saying in part the following,
Over decades as a Washington insider, Clinton has left a trail of secrecy, scandal, and failed
policies that cant be erased from voters minds. The Clintons believe they can play by a
different set of rules and think theyre above transparency, accountability, and ethics. Our next
president must represent a higher standard, and that is not Hillary Clinton.48 There is little
question that such assaults will intensify as the election approaches.
The RNC is also responsible for writing a platform and organizing the Republican
National Convention.49 Like the delegates to the DNC, the RNC members of this committee will
not need to worry about planning or executing the Convention, as this JCC is set later on.
However, delegates will need to react to any lingering issues that arise out of the Convention.
42

Joesph, Cameron. "Chairman Priebus Leads RNC Revival: From $23M in the Red to $7M in the Black." TheHill.
N.p., 16 Feb. 2012. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
43
Haberman, Maggie. "Mitt Romney, Jets Owner to Host Fundraiser."Politico. Politico, 6 Aug. 2014. Web. 21 Aug.
2015.
44
Batley, Melanie. "Jeb Bush to Host Big Ticket RNC Fundraiser in Cincinnati." Newsmax. N.p., 11 June 2014.
Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
45
Feather, A.J. "National Republicans Think Dick Cheney Is a Fashion Icon."ABC News. ABC News Network, 2
Feb. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
46
"Press Releases." GOP. Republican National Committee, 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
47
Supra at fn. 46.
48
Supra at fn. 46.
49
Supra at fn. 33.

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Restrictions on the Committees and Individuals

Fundraising: While the DNC and the RNC both wield significant influence, their powers are not
unlimited, and each must comply with various legal restrictions. Specifically, delegates will
have to keep in mind various restrictions on the amount of money each committee can raise from
certain groups and individuals. Following the passage of the Consolidated and Further
Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015, party committees can now accept contributions of up to
$334,000 from individuals,50 so long as those contributions are structured in a certain manner.
Each committee can also accept contributions reaching $150,000 from Political Action
Committees (PACs).51 However, there are no restrictions on how much money each party
committee can raise.52

Expenditures: In the Supreme Courts 1976 decision in Buckley v. Valeo, limits on total
campaign expenditures by candidates and political organizations were ruled unconstitutional.53
Nevertheless, there remains some minor restrictions on the degree to which national committees
can coordinate expenditures with candidates.54 A coordinated expenditure, according to the FEC
is an expenditure made in cooperation, consultation or concert with, or at the request or
suggestion of, a candidate, a candidate's authorized committee, or their agents, or a political

50

"H.R.83 - Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015."Congress.gov. The United States
Congress, 16 Dec. 2014. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
51
"2015-2016 Federal Contribution Limits." Venerable (n.d.): n. pag. Venerable, 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
52
Buckley v. Valeo. Supreme Court of the United States. 30 Jan. 1976. Print.
53
Supra at fn. 52.
54
"Electronic Code of Federal Regulations." ECFR.gov. U.S Government Publishing Office, 19 Aug. 2015. Web.
21 Aug. 2015. http://www.ecfr.gov/cgibin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=14a8848858fd24108bc42092c9a1b836&mc=true&n=pt11.1.109&r=PART&ty=HTM
L#se11.1.109_132

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party committee or its agents.55 An example of a coordinated expenditure would be a television

advertisement paid for by the DNC, but designed by the Democratic nominees campaign
manager.
In 2012, national party committees could only spend a little over $21 million in direct
coordination with its Presidential candidate.56 The 2016 limit will be determined by a rather
arcane formula: the total voting age U.S population multiplied by 2 cents, multiplied by the 2016
cost of living adjustment.57 For the sake of this committee, we will assume the coordinated
expenditure limit to be approximately $25 million.
Outside of coordinated expenditures, national party committees can make independent
expenditures on behalf of its candidates. These expenditures cannot be coordinated with anyone
on the candidates campaign staff.58 In reality, this proscription presents no obstacle to national
committees, as they are free to work with anyone who is not formally a part of the candidates
campaign (i.e. her former chief-of-staff, her best friend, etc.).59 Independent expenditures will
also occasionally need to be structured in specific ways to avoid running afoul of the law,60 but
for the sake of this JCC, we will assume those payments will be structured correctly.

Restrictions on Individual Delegates: As DNC or RNC committee members, delegates will be

afforded all the power and influence their character would have in real life. For example, a
55

"Electronic Code of Federal Regulations." ECFR.gov. U.S Government Publishing Office, 19 Aug. 2015. Web. 21
Aug. 2015. <http://www.ecfr.gov/cgibin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=14a8848858fd24108bc42092c9a1b836&mc=true&n=sp11.1.109.c&r=SUBPART&ty
=HTML>.
56
"2012 Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits." Coordinated Party Expenditure Limits for 2012. FEC, 2012. Web.
21 Aug. 2015. <http://www.fec.gov/info/charts_441ad_2012.shtml>.
57
Supra at fn. 54.
58
Supra at fn. 54.
59
The Editorial Board. "How Super PACs Can Run Campaigns." The New York Times. The New York Times, 26
Apr. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/27/opinion/how-super-pacs-can-runcampaigns.html?_r=0>.
60
Supra at fn. 54.

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delegated assigned the role of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz would have the
ability to privately communicate with members of Congress (as DWS is a Congresswoman
herself). As DNC chair, she also might be able to call in favors with individuals who owe her
deference. However, she would not, for example, have the power to spend $400 billion of her
personal assets on the Presidential campaign, or to declare war against China.
Delegates will be assumed to have researched the sort of influence their characters might
have (i.e. personal wealth, high-level connections, or a media platform), and to deploy this
influence to both aid their party and increase their personal power.

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Potential Characters
Each delegate will be assigned a character within the DNC or RNC. No delegate will be
assigned the role of DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz or RNC chairman Reince
Priebus. The Chairs of this JCC will assume those roles. What follows is a list of characters a
delegate may potentially be assigned:
DNC:
Donna Brazile ( DNC Vice Chair)
Maria Elena Durazo (DNC Vice Chair)
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (DNC Vice Chair)
Raymond Buckley (DNC Vice Chair)
R.T Rybak (DNC Vice Chair)
Andrew Tobias (DNC Treasurer)
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (DNC Secretary)
Amy Dacey (DNC Chief Executive Officer)
Mo Eliethee (DNC Communications Director)
Henry Muoz (DNC National Finance Chair)
Lindsey Reynolds (DNC Chief Operating Officer)
Raul Alvillar (DNC Political Director)
Michael Czin (DNC National Press Secretary)
Matt Compton (DNC Digital Director)
Jordan Kaplan (DNC National Finance Director)
Bob Bauer (DNC General Counsel)
David Pepper (Ohio Democratic Party Chairman)

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Allison Tant (Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman)

Martha Laning (Chairwoman, Democratic Party of Wisconsin)
Jim Burn (Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman)
Raymond Buckley (New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman)
Roberta Lange (Nevada Democratic Party Chairwoman)
Rick Palacio (Colorado Democratic Party Chairman)
Susan Swecker (Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman)
Patsy Keever (North Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman)

RNC:
Sharon Day (RNC Co-Chair)
Tony Parker (RNC Treasurer)
Susie Hudson (RNC Secretary)
Lew Eisenberg (RNC Finance Chairman)
John Ryder (RNC General Counsel)
Katie Walsh (RNC Chief of Staff)
Sean Cairncross (RNC Chief Operating Officer)
Chris Carr (RNC Political Director)
Chris Young (RNC National Field Director)
Sean Spicer (RNC Chief Strategist and Communications Director)
Allison Moore (RNC Press Secretary)
Raj Shah (RNC Research Director)
Azarias Reda (RNC Chief Technology Officer)
Cara Mason (RNC Finance Director)
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John Phillippe (RNC Chief Counsel)

Jeff Larson (Senior Advisor)
Blaise Ingoglia (Florida Republican Party Chairman)
Matt Borges (Ohio Republican Party Chairman)
John Whitbeck (Virginia Republican Party Chairman)
Steven House (Colorado Republican Party Chairman)
Michael McDonald (Nevada Republican Party Chairman)
Brad Courtney (Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman)
Hasan Harnett (North Carolina Republican Party Chairman)
Rob Gleason (Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman)

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Competitive Races and Candidates

The Presidency
The GOP: The Republican Primary is a cacophonous delight, but were betting that when the
noise dies down, it will be the guy with gobs of money and general-electability (to coin a term)
left standing. Jeb Bush will be the Republican Partys Presidential nominee in this JCC.
Bush is well-positioned to take the White House in 2016. His two terms as governor of
Florida were considered a success by the Republican establishment, and he managed to leave
office just before the GOP took its sharp turn to the right.61 Unlike the majority of Republican
politicians, Bush is in fair standing with the Hispanic community, now the nations second
largest ethnic group.62 Bush speaks fluent Spanish, his wife is Mexican, and his immigration
policy positions are liberal by Republican standards.63 He favors a path to legalization for all
undocumented immigrants, and has called undocumented immigration an act of love.64 This
more tolerant orientation has Bush poised to do as well as his brother among Hispanic voters
(George W. Bush earned over 40% of the national Hispanic vote in 2004).65 If Jeb hits the 40%
mark among Hispanic voters nationwide, he will be in excellent shape in the crucial swing-states
of Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and Virginia.
Moreover, Bushs fundraising acumen is nearly unparalleled. With the vast fundraising
networks of his brother and father at his fingertips, and the business community kowtowing in
his presence, Bush could easily raise $2 billion between his SuperPAC (Right to Rise) and his

61

"Declared 2016 GOP Candidate: Jeb Bush." USA Today. Gannett, 14 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
Romo, Rafael. "Can Jeb's Latino Roots Help Him Win Hispanic Voters?" CNN. Cable News Network, 16 June
2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
63
Romo, Rafael. "Can Jeb's Latino Roots Help Him Win Hispanic Voters?" CNN. Cable News Network, 16 June
2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
64
Shabad, Rebecca. "Jeb Bush Stands by 'act of Love' Remark on Illegal Immigration." TheHill. Capitol Hill
Publishing Corp, 06 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
65
Vespa, Matt. "Rubio Pollster: GOP Needs 40 Percent Of The Hispanic Vote To Win In 2016." Townhall.com.
N.p., 2 Apr. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
62

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campaign.66 In the second quarter of 2015 (Bushs first fundraising report), Bush raised a record
$114 million for his various campaign entities.67 As the Republicans nominee, Bushs
campaign will almost have more money than it can even spend.
Outside of his moderate immigration stance, Bush is essentially a mainstream
conservative.68 He was an enthusiastic supporter of the death penalty as Florida governor,69 and
he is staunchly pro-life when it comes to abortion.70 Like his brother, Jeb favors a muscular
foreign policy, and is seeking to expand the global presence of the United States beyond what
President Obama has allowed. Hes also promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act
(colloquially known as Obamacare), and reduce federal government regulations on businesses.71
As such, while the media may portray Bush as a moderate, he has the conservative bonafides of a
typical GOP candidate.72
Aside from his good-standing among Hispanic voters and his fundraising prowess, Bush
has several other advantages. For one, running in a primary with the likes of Donald Trump73
and Ted Cruz74 has burnished his moderate credentials. On issues as diverse as the confederate
flag debate of July 2015 to the Iran nuclear negotiations from the same month, Bush has

66

Parnes, Amie, and Kevin Cirilli. "The $5 Billion Presidential Campaign?" TheHill. N.p., 21 Jan. 2015. Web. 21
Aug. 2015.
67
Ballhaus, Rebecca. "Jeb Bush and Allies Raise More Than $114 Million in 2016 Race." WSJ. N.p., 9 July 2015.
Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
68
Meckler, Laura. "What Kind of Republican Is Bush? His Time as Governor Offers Clues." WSJ. N.p., 16 Dec.
2014. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
69
Gibson, David. "Pope Francis Takes a Dim View of the Death Penalty, but Not All Catholics Are Convinced."
National Catholic Reporter. N.p., 24 Mar. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
70
Supra at fn. 68.
71
"Jeb Bush on the Issues." On the Issues. OntheIssues.org, June 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
72
Meckler, Laura. "What Kind of Republican Is Bush? His Time as Governor Offers Clues." WSJ. N.p., 16 Dec.
2014. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
73
Ehley, Brianna. "Breaking from Rivals, Jeb Bush Defends Birthright Citizenship." Politico. Politico, 18 Aug.
2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
74
Connelly, Joel. "Trump, Cruz, Palin: Revoke Birthright Citizenship for Children Born in America to
Undocumented Immigrants." Seattle Pi. N.p., 19 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.

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consistently taken positions that seem far more rational that his former Republican opponents.75
For instance, while Scott Walker said he would dismantle the nuclear accord achieved by
President Obama in his first day in office, Bush correctly noted that such talk was foolish.76 On
his first day in office, a President wouldnt even have a Secretary of State in place, let alone the
infrastructure necessary to carry out a foreign policy decision of that magnitude. By dismissing
Walkers statement, Bush demonstrated the maturity many Americans seek in their President.
Bushs Iran stance also highlights another advantage: his intelligence. Fairly or unfairly, George
W. Bush acquired a reputation as a man of limited intellectual capacity.77 By contrast, Jeb is
considered to be extremely bright, and a bit of a policy wonk.78 Between his maturity and
reason, a typical voter could easily picture Bush as President.
Beyond his personality and policy positions, Bush has a significant structural advantage:
voter fatigue. Since the end of Trumans administration, both parties have found it extremely
difficult to hold the White House for more than eight consecutive years. In the years since 1949,
it has only occurred once (Reagan and Bush Sr. from 1981 to 1993).79 Regardless of the
reputation President Obama has earned upon leaving office, the Democratic nominee will have to
contend with voter restlessness. Moreover, if President Obamas approval rating dips below the
high 40s, voters will become even more impatient for a change of leadership.
Well-positioned as he might seem, Bush also has numerous weaknesses. Perhaps the
most obvious is his last name; though his father and brother have bolsted his fundraising efforts,

75

Landers, Elizabeth, and Eric Brander. "Jeb Bush: Confederate Flag Is 'racist'" CNN. Cable News Network, 30 June
2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
76
Stokols, Eli. "Jeb Bush: I Wouldn't Roll Back Obama's Iran Deal on Day 1." Politico. Politico, 17 July 2015. Web.
21 Aug. 2015.
77
Baker, Peter. "Pundits Renounce The President." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 20 Aug. 2006. Web. 21
Aug. 2015.
78
Holland, Steve. "A Different Sort of Bush: Policy Wonk Jeb Faces Campaign Image Test." Reuters. Thomson
Reuters, 09 Mar. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
79
"Presidents & Vice Presidents." PresidentsUSA.net. Baaron's Hill LLC, 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.

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they could hurt him among voters who are wary of political dynasties. Even more so than
Hillary Clinton, Bush seemed born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and some Americans are
concerned that his election would turn the Presidency into little more than an inherited title of
nobility.80 Additionally, while his fathers Presidency is now remembered somewhat fondly,
Jebs brother left office with the U.S engrossed in two endless wars, and mired in the worst
economic situation since the Great Depression.81 George W.s record will provide Jebs
opponent with ample ammunition. This creates a difficult balancing act: Bush must distinguish
his positions from his brothers, while avoiding the appearance of callous disregard for his
family.
Bushs reputation among the GOPs base could also cause him trouble. While
conservative by the standards of the average American, Bush is regarded as a Republican-inname-only (RINO) by some Republican grassroots activists.82 Their enthusiasm for his general
election campaign may be limited, especially in light of his stances on immigration and the
Common Core (a set of nationwide educational standards despised by rock-ribbed
Republicans).83 If those individuals fail to volunteer for Bush, or worse, if they cant muster the
energy to vote, Bush could be deprived of a critical base of support. Given the razor-thin
margins in most swing-states, this could be a decisive disadvantage.

The Democrats: While recent months have strengthened Hillary Clintons reputation as
imperious and secretive, her structural advantages in the Democratic primary will be too difficult
for an opponent to overcome. Senator Bernie Sanders campaign may be inspiring for liberals
80

Parton, Heather. "The Bush Dynasty Is Crushing Jeb: How the GOP Identity Crisis Is Ruining This Frontrunners
Chances." Salon. N.p., 15 May 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
81
Supra at fn. 80.
82
Taibbi, Matt. "Tea Partiers Are Right: Jeb Is a RINO." Rolling Stone. N.p., 18 Dec. 2014. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
83
Hennessey, Kathleen. "Jeb Bush's Embrace of Common Core Is a Campaign Lightning Rod." Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.

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across the nation, but ultimately, he lacks the support necessary among non-white voters to
seriously challenge Clinton. Furthermore, Clinton has organizational and fundraising capacities
her Democratic colleagues cant match. For this JCC, Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic
Partys nominee.
Clintons best hope of taking the White House is the so-called Blue Wall.84 Over the
past four Presidential elections, Democrats have consistently won states which combined account
for 247 electoral votes, forming a formidable wall standing in the GOPs path.85 If Clinton can
maintain the Democrats advantage in those states, she will need to win a mere 23 additional
votes to win the Presidency. Those votes could be provided by Florida alone, Ohio and Virginia
together, or either Ohio or Virginia with North Carolina, or Ohio, Virginia, or North Carolina
combined with a few of Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, and New Hampshire.86 All else equal, the
Blue Wall gives the Democrats a built-in edge.87
Hillarys other strength is her vast political experience. She spent eight years in the
White House as possibly the most engaged first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt, and then moved
straight into eight years in the Senate.88 By the time she completed her four years as Secretary of
State, she had spend twenty consecutive years at the highest levels of the federal government. 89
Irrespective of what people may think of her track record, no one can deny the depth of her
knowledge or preparation to be commander-in-chief.

84

The Blue Wall states are California, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, Washington,
Massachusetts, Maryland, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, Connecticut, New Mexico, Hawaii, Maine, Rhode Island,
Delaware, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. And yes, we recognize D.C is not a state, but it has 3 electoral
votes.
85
Sabato, Larry, Kyle Kondik, and Geoffrery Skelley. "The 2016 Results We Can Already Predict." POLITICO
Magazine. N.p., 3 May 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
86
Supra at fn. 85.
87
Supra at fn. 85.
88
"Hillary Clinton." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
89
Supra at fn. 88.

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In addition to her experience, Hillary is one of the few Democrats with the fundraising
capacity to compete with a Bush. While Bush does have a proverbial army of millionaires and
billionaires, Clinton can at least count of the political largess of George Soros, Tom Steyer, and
Donald Sussman.90 Hillary is also friendly enough with Wall Street from her years as a New
York Senator to reap millions from bankers and brokers.91 Moreover, if her campaign is smart, it
should be able to tap the enthusiasm of millions of Americans who are ready for a woman to
finally be in charge. Hillary should be able to raise at least $1.5 billion.92
Countless Americans, myself included, are impatient to see a woman run the country.
Weve made progress since the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, but women still only
make up 20% of the 114th Senate,93 and only two of the 22 major Presidential candidates (at the
time of writing) are women.94 If Hillarys campaign has any political skill, it should be able to
capitalize on this opportunity to increase female turnout beyond its already superior levels.95 In
2008, Hillary avoided discussing her gender, but early signs indicate that she will not make the
same mistake in 2016.96
Democrats have also been incredibly successful at winning the culture war of recent
years. The electorate has become increasingly liberal on social issues, most prominently on
LBGTQ rights,97 but moving into other areas such as immigration and drug legalization.98 62%

90

"Million-Dollar Donors in the 2016 Presidential Race." The New York Times. The New York Times, 04 Aug.
2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
91
"Hillary Clinton." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 3 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
92
Supra at fn. 66.
93
Bump, Philip. "The New Congress Is 80 Percent White, 80 Percent Male and 92 Percent Christian." Washington
Post. The Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
94
Andrews, Wilson, Alicia Parlapiano, and Karen Yourish. "Who Is Running for President?" The New York Times.
The New York Times, 14 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
95
Gray, Emma. "Voter Turnout Infographic Shows Women, Older People Most Likely To Come Out On Election
Day." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 17 Aug. 2012. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
96
Brazile, Donna. "This Time, Hillary Will Run as a Woman." CNN. Cable News Network, 4 Mar. 2015. Web. 21
Aug. 2015.
97
Liptak, Adam. "Supreme Court Ruling Makes Same-Sex Marriage a Right Nationwide." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 26 June 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.

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of Americans support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants,99 and four states
have already legalized marijuana, with more set to follow in 2016.100 Criminal sentencing and
police reform has gained traction in the wake of increasing public awareness of police brutality
and mass incarceration.101 A majority of Americans are pro-choice.102 Democrats are generally
perceived as pursuing more humane policies on all these issues, while Republicans are
increasingly portrayed in the media as backwards.103 All of this favors the Democratic Partys
nominee.
Nevertheless, Hillarys vulnerabilities may be sufficient to sink her campaign. The most
glaring flaw is public perception of her character. As of August 2015, Hillarys trustworthiness
numbers were only marginally better than Donald Trumps.104 A sizable portion of the country
associates her with scandal, whether it be the fictional variety (Benghazi) or the legitimately
troubling (email-gate).105 Clintons personality is increasingly being compared to a past
President who once lost the Presidency, only to rise from the ashes eight years later.106 (Richard
Nixon did win two general elections, but I dont think Hillary would be flattered by the analogy.)
Finally, Hillary has a famously testy relationship with the press, which could weigh on
her candidacy. From her early days as first lady to the trials of the Monica Lewinsky affair,

98

Stebbins, Sam, Michael Sauter, and Thomas Frohlich. "The next 11 States to Legalize Marijuana." USA Today.
Gannett, 19 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
99
Preston, Julia. "Poll Shows Path to Citizenship Is Favored." The New York Times. The New York Times, 09 June
2014. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
100
Stebbins, Sam, Michael Sauter, and Homas Frohlich. "The next 11 States to Legalize Marijuana." USA Today.
Gannett, 19 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
101
Patterson, Brandon. "America's Apartheid: Legalized Discrimination through Mass Incarceration." The
Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 30 July 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
102
Velencia, Janie. "Percentage Of Pro-Choice Americans Is Highest Since 2008." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 29 May 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
103
"Democrats Have More Positive Image, But GOP Runs Even or Ahead on Key Issues." Pew Research Center for
the People and the Press RSS. Pew Research Center, 26 Feb. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
104
Cillizza, Chris. "Hillary Clinton: As Honest and Trustworthy as Donald Trump." Washington Post. The
Washington Post, 30 July 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
105
"Here They Are: Hillarys 22 Biggest Scandals Ever." WND. N.p., 18 May 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
106
Purdum, Todd. "Hillary in Nixon's Shadow." Politico. Politico, 7 Mar. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.

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Hillary has projected a hostility to the press that few candidates can successfully overcome.107
During this campaign season, Hillary has already endured criticisms for her inaccessibility,
personified by her aides decision to corral the press with a moving rope-line as Hillary walked in
a parade.108 A public spat between her campaign and the New York Times hasnt improved her
media coverage.109 While she doesnt necessarily need to take press members into her inner
sanctum, she will be greatly disadvantaged if she cant manage at least a cordial relationship with
the fourth estate.
The Senate
Overview: The GOP successfully regained the Senate in 2014 after eight years of Democratic
control. Thanks to a favorable Senate map and remarkably low turnout,110 the Republicans
managed to win an eight person majority in the Upper House.111 The Elephants face a far
tougher electoral map in 2016, and can only afford to lose four seats at most, if they hope to
maintain their majority.112 With vulnerable incumbents in Illinois, Wisconsin, New Hampshire,
and Pennsylvania, competitive races in Ohio and North Carolina, and formerly GOP-held open
seats in Florida and Indiana, Republicans could easily lose control of the Senate.

107

Frum, David. "Why Won't Hillary Clinton Talk to Reporters?" The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 06 July
2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
108
Simon, Roger. "Hillary Rope-a-dopes Press, but Who's the Dope?" Politico. Politico, 7 July 2015. Web. 21 Aug.
2015.
109
Hartmann, Margaret. "Why the Clinton Campaign Is Feuding With the New York Times." New York Magazine.
N.p., 31 July 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
110
DelReal, Jose. "Voter Turnout in 2014 Was the Lowest since WWII." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 10
Nov. 2014. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
111
"2014 Election Results Senate: Map by State, Live Midterm Voting Updates." POLITICO. N.p., 17 Dec. 2014.
Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
112
Supra at fn. 111.

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Illinois: Pundits have pointed to Illinois as the Democrats best chance to pick up a Senate seat
in 2016.113 Illinois is a solidly blue state in Presidential years, having cast its electoral votes for
Democrats every year since 1992.114 Moreover, the Republican incumbent in that seat, Mark
Kirk, is relatively unpopular. A mere 28% of Illinois voters approve of Kirks performance,
while 32% disapprove.115 Kirk also has a history of gaffes, including comparing the Iran nuclear
agreement to the British appeasement of the Germans prior to World War II.116 However, Kirk
is regarded as a fairly moderate Senator; he is pro-choice, and opposed a constitutional
amendment to ban same-sex marriage.117 He also has the benefit of a lengthy military record,
and the support of a national Republican Party willing to spend heavily to keep him in power.118
Kirk will start out the race as an underdog, though,119 as he is poised to face popular
Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth is the general election. Duckworth has perhaps the most
compelling story of any Senate candidate. The Congresswoman is a double amputee: she lost
both her legs fighting in the second Iraq war.120 In addition to serving two terms in Congress,
Duckworth is also a former assistant Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.121 Given
Duckworths strong personal credentials, its no surprise she was leading Kirk 42%-36% in a
July 29 Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey.122

113

Sabato, Larry. "Can Democrats Retake the Senate in 2016?" POLITICO Magazine. N.p., 2 Mar. 2015. Web. 21
Aug. 2015.
114
"Illinois." 270towin. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
115
"Kirk Unpopular, Trails Duckworth." Public Policy Polling. N.p., 29 July 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
116
Pearson, Rick. "Despite Gaffes, It's Kirk or Bust for Republicans." Chicagotribune.com. N.p., 29 July 2015. Web.
23 Aug. 2015.
117
"Mark Kirk on the Issues." Ontheissues.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
118
Sabella, Jen. "Mark Kirk's Military Record An Impressive One, Even Without The Embellishments." The
Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 14 July 2010. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
119
Supra at fn. 116.
120
"About Tammy." Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
121
Supra at fn. 120.
122
Supra at fn. 116.

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Wisconsin: GOP Senator Ron Johnson won his Wisconsin seat by 2% during a midterm election
that doubled as the best electoral year for Congressional Republicans since 1994.123 Johnson is
associated with the Tea Party movement, and is a solidly conservative Republican.124 He
opposes environmental regulations, believes that the U.S could default on its debt without
catastrophic consequences, and seems to deny the existence of man-made global warming.125
Republicans like Ron Johnson struggle to survive in swing states in presidential years, and
Johnson will have a tough time against probable Democratic nominee Russ Feingold. Feingold
is a former three term Senator who lost to Johnson in 2010.126 Feingold is known in part for the
landmark campaign finance legislation that bore his name (the now defunct McCain-Feingold
act), but also for being the only Senator to oppose the original PATRIOT act.127 Feingold has
received a John F. Kennedy profile in courage award,128 and during his time away from the
Senate, he served as a special envoy to the Great Lakes Region of Africa.129 That position
earned him a Politico feature entitled Did Russ Feingold Just End a War? which definitely
doesnt hurt when youre running for public office.130 Ron Johnson is extremely wealthy, and
should be able to raise ample money for his campaign;131 nevertheless, its hard to see him
defeating Feingold come November. Indeed, Feingold currently leads Johnson by 7 points in
RealClearPolitics polling average.132

123

"2010 Fall General Election." G.A.B. Canvass Reporting System (n.d.): n. pag. 2010. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
<http://www.gab.wi.gov/sites/default/files/percent%20results%20post%20recount_120710.pdf>.
124
Sargent, Greg. "Tea Party Senator Accidentally Reveals Absurdity of GOP Stance on Obamacare." Washington
Post. The Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
125
"Ron Johnson on the Issues." Ontheissues.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
126
"Russ Feingold's Biography." Project Vote Smart. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
127
"Russell Feingold on the Issues." Ontheissues.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
128
"John McCain and Russell Feingold Recieve the 1999 Profile in Courage Award." John F. Kennedy Presidential
Library & Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
129
Reid, Stuart. "Did Russ Feingold Just End a War?" POLITICO Magazine. N.p., 11 Mar. 2014. Web. 21 Aug.
2015.
130
Supra at fn. 129.
131
"Ron Johnson (R-Wis)." Opensecrets RSS. Center For Responsive Politics, 2010. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
132
"Ohio Senate - Portman vs. Strickland." RealClearPolitics. N.p., 16 August 2015. Web. 23 Aug. 2015.

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Florida: With Marco Rubio vacating his Senate seat to run for president, the Florida Senate race
has descended into chaos. There are competitive primaries in both parties: the Republicans have
to choose between Rep. Ron DeSantis, Rep. David Jolly, Rep. Jeff Miller and Liet. Gov. Carlos
Lpez-Cantera, while the Democrats get to witness a fight between Reps. Alan Grayson and
Patrick Murphy.133 While we believe that Democrats will ultimately opt for the more electable
Patrick Murphy as their candidate, we have no earthly idea what will happen in the Republican
primary. Thus, we will defer to the current poll leader David Jolly134 as our Republican
challenging Murphy in this JCC.

New Hampshire: There are two possibilities for the New Hampshire race. First, Democratic
Governor Maggie Hassan could challenge incumbent Senator Kelly Ayotte. The result would be
a competitive election. Second, Hassan could run for reelection as Governor, allowing Ayotte a
relatively easy path to a second Senate term. In this JCC, Maggie Hassan has decided to run for
Senate. The two term governor will make a formidable opponent for freshman Senator Ayotte.
Hassan spend six years in the New Hampshire Senate,135 and is running in a state that has tilted
ever-so-slightly left in the past few presidential contests. Having just won statewide elections in
2012 and 2014, Hassan is also extremely familiar to New Hampshire voters.136 Ayotte,
meanwhile, hasnt faced the masses since 2010. Moreover, she has a relatively conservative

133

Caputo, Marc. "Poll: No Front-runner in Florida Senate Race." POLITICO. N.p., 27 July 2015. Web. 21 Aug.
2015.
134
Supra at fn. 133.
135
"About Maggie Hassan." Maggie Hassan. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
136
"Maggie Hassan." National Governors Association. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.

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voting record in Congress, and opposed New Hampshires legalization of same-sex marriage.137
With Hassan in the the mix, this race is a toss-up.

Pennsylvania: Republican incumbent Pat Toomey will find himself in a similar situation to Ron
Johnsons in 2016. Like Johnson, Toomey barely won his seat in 2010,138 and is a fairly
conservative senator for his state.139 Toomey was the 9th most conservative senator in the 113th
Congress according to DW nominate scores,140 which is a serious problem in a state that has
voted for Democratic presidential candidates in the last six consecutive elections.141 Toomey is
lucky to be facing a relatively weak challenger in 2016, former Congressman Joe Sestak.142 The
Democratic party establishment in Pennsylvania is not fond of Sestak.143 In 2010, Sestak had the
audacity to run for Senate against the incumbent Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter,
and to defeat him in the Democratic primary before subsequently losing to Toomey.144
Pennsylvania Democrats blame Sestak for costing them the seat, and are not wild about his 2016
senate candidacy.145 Theyve even recruited Gov. Tom Wolfs chief-of-staff Katie McGinty into
the primary race to challenge him.146 McGinty, though, is a candidate without prior elective
experience, and a poor history in the races shes run in the past.147 Further, Sestak has already

137

"Kelly Ayotte on the Issues." Ontheissues.org. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
Levy, Marc. "Toomey Wins Specters Seat in Pennsylvania." Washington Times. The Washington Times, 3 Nov.
2010. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
139
Carroll,, Royce, James Lo, Jeff Lewis, Nolan McCarty, Howard Rosenthal, and Keith Poole. "DW-NOMINATE
Scores With Bootstrapped Standard Errors." DW-NOMINATE SCORES PAGE. N.p., 9 Aug. 2015. Web. 21 Aug.
2015.
140
Supra at fn. 139.
141
"Pennsylvania Presidential Election Voting History." 270towin. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
142
Raju, Manu, and Kyle Cheney. "Dems in Disarray in Must-win Pennsylvania Senate Race." POLITICO. N.p., 21
May 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
143
Supra at fn. 142.
144
Supra at fn. 142.
145
Supra at fn. 142.
146
Roarty, Alex. "Democrats Score Sought-After Senate Candidate in Pennsylvania." Www.nationaljournal.com.
N.p., 22 July 2015. Web. 23 Aug. 2015.
147
Supra at fn. 146.
138

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been campaigning for several months, and has a cash advantage.148 While the primary will likely
be close, its Sestak who will be the nominee in this JCC.

Ohio: GOP Senator Rob Portman has a reputation as a moderate.149 He was the first senate
Republican to support same-sex marriage,150 and DW nominate scores rank him as the 13th most
liberal Republican in the 113th Senate.151 Moreover, Portman just finished his term as the ViceChair for finance of the National Republican Senatorial Committee,152 meaning that he will have
plenty of fundraising connections to leverage. Portmans approval numbers generally hover
around +20%, solid territory for an incumbent seeking reelection.153 Indeed, Portman is so well
positioned for 2016 that there was speculation surrounding him as a potential presidential
candidate.154 However, Portman has decided to seek reelection to the senate,155 and will face
former Ohio governor Ted Strickland in 2016.156 Strickland has a strong resume, but will be 75
by the time of the general election.157 As such, Rob Portman probably will have a slight edge
heading into 2016. At the moment, though, the polls tend to show Strickland ahead.158

148

Supra at fn. 146.

Cillizza, Chris. "Rob Portman Would Probably Be a Good President. Hed Never Get Elected Though."
Washington Post. The Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2014. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
150
Supra at fn. 149.
151
Supra at fn. 139.
152
Kraushaar, Josh. "The GOP's Rob Portman Predicament." Www.nationaljournal.com. N.p., 30 June 2015. Web.
21 Aug. 2015.
153
Rowland, Darrel. "Support for Portman Underwhelming as He Faces Re-election Campaign, Poll Finds." The
Columbus Dispatch. N.p., 11 Feb. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
154
"Rob Portman - 2016 Republican Presidential Candidates." Rob Portman - 2016 Republican Presidential
Candidates. N.p., 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
155
Kraushaar, Josh. "The GOP's Rob Portman Predicament." Www.nationaljournal.com. N.p., 30 June 2015. Web.
21 Aug. 2015.
156
Supra at fn. 155.
157
Graham, David A. "The Gray Party." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
158
"Ohio Senate - Portman vs. Strickland." RealClearPolitics. N.p., 15 June 2015. Web. 23 Aug. 2015.
149

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North Carolina: The Democrats would have a fair shot a this seat if they could find someone to
run for it. However, North Carolinas strongest Democratic leaders seem poised to sit this race
out. Former Senator Kay Hagan has already declined to run, as has current Secretary of
Transportation and former Mayor of Charlotte Anthony Foxx.159 At the moment, the strongest
Democrat considering a run is probably Heath Shuler, a former three-term congressman and NFL
quarterback.160 He will be the Democratic nominee in this JCC. On the GOP side, incumbent
Senator Richard Burr is running for reelection. Burr is not particularly popular in North Carolina
-- his net approval rating is -11% -- but he is still favored to win reelection according to most
polls.161 A potential weak spot for Burr could be the controversial remarks he made about
veterans groups as ranking member of the Senate Veterans Committee in 2014.162

Colorado: Senator Michael Bennet, the Democratic incumbent, barely survived his 2010 race.
He was fortunate enough to draw a weak opponent, yet still only won his race by less than 2%.163
This would normally portend a difficult race to keep his seat. However, Bennet has become a
strong fundraiser, and his stint as Chairman of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee
raised his national profile.164 Moreover, Republicans in Colorado face the same problem as
Democrats in North Carolina: they dont have a candidate. After top choice Mike Coffman

159

"North Carolina Dems Resume Their Search for a Senate Candidate." Daily Kos. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/25/1396257/-Daily-Kos-Elections-Morning-Digest-North-Carolina-Demsresume-their-search-for-a-Senate-candidate>.
160
Barrett, Mark. "Heath Shuler Cryptic on Possibility of Senate Bid." Citizen Times. N.p., 12 Aug. 2015. Web. 21
Aug. 2015.
161
"McCrory Approval Hits New Low." Public Policy Polling. N.p., 9 July 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
162
Topaz, Jonathan. "Richard Burr: No Apology to Veterans' Groups." POLITICO. N.p., 28 May 2014. Web. 21
Aug. 2015.
163
"Colorado- Election Results 2010." New York Times. N.p., 2010. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
164
Bresnahan, John, and Manu Raju. "Harry Reid Taps Michael Bennet to Run DSCC." POLITICO. N.p., 4 Dec.
2012. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.

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declared he would stay out, the GOP has struggled to find anyone viable.165 At the moment it
looks like Bill Cadman, President of the Colorado Senate, is best positioned to make a run, but
his staunch conservatism could pose problems for him in the general election.166 Nevertheless,
hell be the GOP nominee for this JCC.

Nevada: This seat became wide-open once Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid
decided not to seek another term. Reids chosen successor, Catherine Cortez Masto, will glide
to the Democratic nomination;167 shell battle moderate Republican Rep. Joe Heck for the seat.168
Masto is the former Attorney General of Nevada, meaning she has already won statewide
election twice.169 She thus starts out with an advantage in name recognition, and is already a
familiar face for Nevada voters.170 Additionally, Masto is Hispanic, which could be a significant
advantage in a swing-state with a growing Latino population.171 Clinton will surely do all she
can to gin up Latino turnout for her own candidacy in Nevada, and Masto stands to benefit
collaterally. Masto will also have the full backing of Harry Reids political machine, and can
point to a strong resume that includes time as a prosecutor and as chief of staff for Gov. Bob
Miller.172 Heck, meanwhile, is a former Brigadier General who served in Iraq.173 The race can
be expected to be fairly tight.

165

Bartels, Lynn. "Colorado GOP Seeking Right Candidate to Face Michael Bennet in 2016." The Denver Post.
N.p., 8 June 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
166
Supra at fn. 165.
167
Drusch, Andrea. "Meet the Woman Harry Reid Wants to Replace Him in the Senate." Www.nationaljournal.com.
N.p., 27 Mar. 2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
168
DelReal, Jose. "Rep. Joe Heck Announces Nevada Senate Run." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 6 July
2015. Web. 21 Aug. 2015.
169
Supra at fn. 167.
170
Supra at fn. 167.
171
Supra at fn. 167.
172
Supra at fn. 167.
173
Supra at fn. 168.

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Expectations for Delegates

Delegates in this JCC should have two main aims. The first is to advance the goals of the
party they are part of. Each of the individuals on the list of potential characters strongly supports
the party they belong to. They have spent years working their way to the top of the party
infrastructure, and care deeply about how their party performs in the election. As such, delegates
will be expected to actively work for their committees benefit, both in committee and when
interacting with crisis. Generally, delegates will not be permitted to betray their partys interests
by, for instance, defecting to the opposition party (unless the delegate has an extremely
compelling motivation to do so, and writes an excellent crisis plan).
However, members of the parties are also only human, and they have ambitions like the
rest of us. Delegates are thus encouraged to seek out ways of enhancing the power and prestige
of the characters they represent. A delegate that does well by her party while also satisfying her
characters personal ambitions will be successful in this JCC.
We will not be allowing the use of technology during committee session, in the interest of
fairness. Delegates will be free to undertake any research they want when committee is not in
session. Nevertheless, there will likely be some restrictions placed on the kind of work that can
be done outside of committee. Model UN should be fun, and we dont want students to feel
pressure to spent their downtime on committee-related activities.

Stanford Model United Nations Conference 2015