?PAGE ? ?PAGE ?1? Chapter 10 ? Elections and Campaigns seq NL1 \r 0 \h Overview Political campaigns have become increasingly personalized with little or no connection to formal party organizations. Party influence has decayed as a result of the widespread adoption of the direct primary, the increasing influence of the media, and the workings of campaign finance law. Today, candidates face the problem of creating a temporary organization that can raise money from large numbers of small donors and mobilize enthusiastic supporters; they must win the nomination by appealing to the party faithful while not losing their ability to recruit moderate and independent voters in the general election.