US Political Ritual and the Covid Pandemic

This book interrogates the altered nominating processes of the 2020 U.S. election, illustrating the importance of the national nominating convention, both as an ongoing custom that speaks to the unique political structure of the nation and as a source of valuable information that goes well beyond the explicit purposes conceptualized by the parties.

US Political Ritual and the Covid Pandemic: The 2020 Democratic and Republican Conventions illustrates the importance of the national nominating convention, both as an ongoing custom that speaks to the unique political structure of the nation and as a source of valuable information that goes well beyond the explicit purposes conceptualized by the parties. In this book, Tammy Vigil specifically interrogates the 2020 nominating programs of the two major U.S. political parties by exploring the decisions Democratic and Republican leaders made regarding the use of technology, inclusion of participants, and construction of messaging during a campaign season altered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Each party had the opportunity to adapt to the constraints of the moment, rethink established practices, and present a vision of the nation that would attract and motivate voters. Vigil delineates the similarities and differences between the Democratic and Republican conventions and demonstrates how the events presaged many aspects of the general election and transition of power that followed.