The 2008 elections have been memorable for several reasons. 

A woman emerged as a serious presidential contender during the primaries and another was chosen as a vice-presidential candidate. 

An African-American was nominated by a major political party to run for president. 

High profile primary candidates included a Mormon and an ordained Southern Baptist minister. 

How much or how little does the gender, race, or religion of a candidate matter?  This year’s Bulen Symposium explores the relevance of these categories for electoral politics.  It also provides assessments of the 2008 elections at the national, state, and local levels.