List of Figures and Tables ix
Preface to the Paperback Edition xiii
Foreword by Charles T. Myers xix
Acknowledgments xxi
Chapter 1: Ante Up 1
Chapter 2: The Hand You're Dealt 11
Chapter 3: Random, or Romney? 32
Chapter 4: All In 64
Chapter 5: High Rollers 97
Chapter 6: The Action 141
Chapter 7: The Winning Hand 174
Chapter 8: Cashing In 226
Appendixes 243
Notes 273
Index 323

A unique "moneyball" look at the 2012 U.S. presidential contest between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney
"Game changer." We heard it so many times during the 2012 U.S. presidential election. But what actually made a difference in the contest-and what was just hype? In this groundbreaking book, John Sides and Lynn Vavreck tell the dramatic story of the election-with a big difference. Using an unusual "moneyball" approach and drawing on extensive quantitative data, they look beyond the anecdote, folklore, and conventional wisdom that often pass for election analysis to separate what was truly important from what was irrelevant. The Gamble combines this data with the best social science research and colorful on-the-ground reporting, providing the most accurate and precise account of the election yet written-and the only book of its kind.
In a new preface, the authors reflect on the place of The Gamble in the tradition of presidential election studies, its reception to date, and possible paths for future social science research.

John Sides is associate professor of political science at George Washington University and the coauthor of Campaigns and Elections (Norton). He cofounded and contributes to The Monkey Cage, a politics blog. Lynn Vavreck is professor of political science and communications at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her books include The Message Matters: The Economy and Presidential Campaigns (Princeton). She cofounded and contributes to the Model Politics blog.