After tracing the nomination process, we discussed how campaigns allow voters to judge elected officials' performance ,especially on economic issues, to activate their party partisanship, and last, to judge the character of the candidates. We then explored the role of incumbency and money in the election process. Regarding the role of money, I discussed the difference between a PAC and a Super PAC or independent expenditure committee and detailed the Supreme Court's holding in Citizens United V FEC which allowed independent expenditure committees made up of labor unions and corporations to make unlimited contributions to candidates provided their efforts are independent or not coordinated with the campaign.