Historical Eras of American Political Campaigns

Discuss political campaigns in the United States.

Describe in detail the four major historical eras of American political campaigns, and for each era, discuss the style of campaigning that candidates engaged in, their use of the media, and changes in the composition of the electorate. What are the primary factors that matter in running congressional campaigns, and what strategies do candidates use in order to win? Provide a specific example of a campaign and a candidate as part of your response. To what extent does the media drive the public’s understanding of candidates for office and their campaigns? Your answer must include a discussion of the media’s role in the 2016 campaign of Donald Trump.