“This fine book will set a new standard on the topic of U.S. presidential nominations and more generally U.S. political parties. The analysis is innovative, empirically anchored, zestfully presented, and credible. It is a natural for parties courses.”

David Mayhew, Yale University

“The Party Decides presents a powerful case that political parties, properly conceived, remain the dominant force in the post-reform presidential nominating process. Cohen, Karol, Noel, and Zaller revive and sharpen a long-dormant group-centered theory of parties, use that theory insightfully to reanalyze the historical record, and conduct a creative and rigorous empirical assessment of the invisible primary and its impact on the selection of presidential nominees. This is a scholarly tour de force and a provocative challenge to the candidate-centered reporting and commentary on American politics.”

Thomas E. Mann, Brookings Institution

"The authors make their cases effectively through the use of a number of insightful analogies and creative use of empirical data. The book is a treasure trove of historical information on nomination battles."

Choice

"In many ways, [this] is a brilliant book in terms of bringing elites and groups back into the study of political parties and presidential nominations. . . . At its best, Cohen et al.’s new paradigms may still be the best guide to presidential nominations for decades to come."

Andrew Dowdle | Political Science Quarterly