Author

Rachel Paine Caufield

Rachel Paine Caufield

Rachel Paine Caufield is professor of Political Science at Drake University.

COMMENTARY

How did the US presidential campaign get to be so long?

By: - September 4, 2023

Four hundred and forty-four days prior to the 2024 presidential election, millions of Americans tuned into the first Republican primary debate. If this seems like a long time to contemplate the candidates, it is. By comparison, Canadian election campaigns average just 50 days. In France, candidates have just two weeks to campaign, while Japanese law […]

COMMENTARY

What does the speaker of the House do? Here’s what the new speaker will have for a job

By: - January 5, 2023

Second in the line of presidential succession after the vice president, the speaker of the House occupies a central role in our national government. But what is it that a speaker actually does? Most people think the speakership is a party office. It’s not. The speaker is selected by the full House membership, though the […]