Date of Award
2011
Degree Name
Political Science
College
College of Liberal Arts
Type of Degree
M.A.
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Jamie Warner
Second Advisor
George Davis
Third Advisor
Jess Morrissette
Abstract
The 2008 West Virginia Republican Presidential Convention was the first of its kind and presents an intriguing case study of power in politics. A small percentage of West Virginians are Republican and an even smaller percentage of those Republicans participate in politics. Based on this situation, the elite members of the West Virginia Republican Party would be expected to produce their candidate as the winner of the state's first ever presidential convention. This, however, was not the case. A perceived second tier candidate claimed victory instead, much to the anger and dismay of the party regulars. This study interprets and explains this upset with three theories of power. I argue that three dimensions of power were at play and that an understanding of these dimensions allows readers to comprehend West Virginia Republican politics, the 2008 convention, and future actions within the party.
Recommended Citation
Ankrom, Nora Kay, "Horse-Trading in Smoke-Filled Rooms: Power in the 2008 West Virginia Republican Presidential Convention" (2011). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 8.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/8
