Campaign Exploratory Committees

AN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE is a body formed by potential candidates for president (or another office, though they are de rigueur for presidential candidates) to ascertain their chances in the upcoming election, and identify their likeliest supporters and those who could be swayed to their camp.

Though Andrew Jackson launched his 1828 presidential campaign in the immediate aftermath of the 1824 election, it is generally considered unseemly for a candidate to begin a campaign too soon; even a recurring candidate such as Jackson usually explores his options, getting a feel for the political climate not only to determine if he will have a good chance in the upcoming election, but to decide which aspects of his platform will most appeal to voters. In times of economic hardship, candidates' economic reforms may be highlighted, for instance, while their general isolationism or opposition to war will not likely feature heavily in a campaign following soon after an American military victory.

Not all candidates who form exploratory committees run for office. They may determine that their chances of victory are too slim, or that fundraising will be too difficult; they may wind up supporting some other candidate, and doing so without having launched their own campaigns gives the appearance of greater sincerity.

But beyond these cosmetic concerns, an exploratory committee has a legal, financial purpose, and its existence is filed with the Federal Election Committee. A potential candidate who has formed such a committee is not an actual candidate, and the money spent during these explorations need not be accounted for, or its sources disclosed, as would actual campaign finances. Whether or not this loophole is ever abused is a matter of speculation.

Not all candidates forms exploratory committees. They seem to be largely the province of candidates who have a good chance, but are not a sure thing. Long-shot candidates rarely form such committees, perhaps because they are using their campaign to draw attention to the issues composing their platform, or in hopes of being chosen as a running mate, or appointed to some other position by the eventual winner; in such cases, the mood of the electorate is less important.

It has become more common for gubernatorial candidates to form exploratory committees, a phenomenon that may be influenced by the fact that in 2004 four of the last five presidents were governors when they ran (George H.W. Bush was the incumbent vice president), making a gubernatorial race at least a potential step towards the White House.

This has also been the province of the celebrity candidate: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura publicly flirted with the notion of political careers before announcing their candidacies and winning their elections for the governorship of California and Minneso-tas respectively; Charles Barkley has similarly hinted at political ambitions and the possibility of running for governor of his native Alabama.