BIG BUSINESS AND BIG LABOR are often seen as the best funded special interests in politics. But Native American tribes who run casinos, particularly in California, have in recent years become among the best-funded groups supporting candidates, ballot initiatives and other political causes. We've asked Bill Whalen, a leading California political analyst, to examine this in-depth. He notes that a pair of November ballot measures could set spending records for an initiative campaign, with deep-pocketed interests lining up for and against efforts to make Indian tribes pay taxes on casino profits.

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As for the 2004 presidential campaign, it is being watched closely internationally, perhaps more so than at home. That was my observation from a May speaking tour I went on in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. American style political strategy and tactics are observed closely in these countries, particularly Australia, where federal elections are scheduled in the coming months. While political campaigns in the two countries have many similarities, a major difference is compulsory voting registration in Australia, which leads to upwards of 95 percent participation in elections. This is a subject I explore in this issue of the magazine.

And Costas Panagopoulos, executive director of the political campaign management program at New York University's department of politics, has two stories, one on the influence political consultants have in planning national political conventions and a preview of Chile's 2005 elections.

Once again, we invite you to look at our redesigned Web site, www.CampaignLine.com. You will find all of the magazine's content here, as well as regularly updated news from the campaign consulting industry.

Sincerely,

David Mark

Editor-in-Chief

dmark@campaignline.com

COPYRIGHT 2004 Campaigns & Elections, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group