9528841 Nelson Since the late 1800s, the primary election has endured as the predominant method of nominating candidates for federal office in the United States. Each state has the constitutional authority to decide its own election rules, resulting in primary election dates that span a seven month period. Not all candidates have the same time to campaign for the general election. This investigation explores the connection between the primary election and the results of the general election in races for U.S. House of Representatives from 1988-1994. The central questions are: do candidates who are confronted with a divisive primary late in the election season face a tougher battle than their counterparts who face divisive primaries early in the election season? Does the late primary disadvantage challengers even more than they are already impaired or does it help them by increasing their name recognition when votes are paying more attention? Do late primaries hinder a challenger's ability to raise money and could they alter a candidate's campaign strategy? Employing a variety of research methods such as multiple regression analyses and semi-structured interviews, this dissertation refocuses the study of congressional elections by expanding the scope of study to include a comprehensive, institutional analysis of primary elections. ***
