Category Archives: Invisible Primary

events in the time period after the election of a new president and the beginning of the first primary in the next presidential election year. e.g., CPAC, Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame; Iowa State Fair; Rep. Jim CLYBURN’S fish fry; NAACP Convention; Judicial Watch gatherings; state party annual dinners, new books; Sunday morning news programs; talk shows; travel to early contest states; meet the editors; straw polls; fund-raising. C-SPAN video archives and Transcripts in the online databases are good resources to locate events

The Invisible Primary Slides

https://www.isaacdhale.com/presentations/POL%20106%20-%20The%20Invisible%20Primary%20(Winter%202021).pdf

This is a powerpoint presentation from Professor Isaac Hale at The University of California Davis which, beginning on slide 20, clearly defines the invisible primary, discusses the role of parties in the process, analyzes the pre-primary phases of the 2008 and 2016 elections, and displays a series of relevant graphics and statistics.

Invisible Primary Political Cartoon

This cartoon encapsulates the influence of money in the American political process and more specifically in the unofficial selection of nominees during the invisible primaries or “pre-primary” phase. During this period leading up to the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary, party elites and interest groups will often anoint a specific candidate and show their support with donations. The aggregate funding secured by a candidate during this phase often dictates the ultimate success of their campaign during the election period, and therefore, money can be seen as a proxy for votes before formal voting can begin.

2020 Invisible Primary Season

This video provides a basic overview of the invisible primary season, while stressing how candidates that are unable to secure financing and support in the months leading up to primaries are often forced to withdraw from the race.