Within the United States and other democratic nations political interest groups are among "the most important institutions that define the character of the political system" (Thomas & Lynne, 3). Political interest groups are among other things a liaison between the public and government officials. Political interest groups often invest heavily in Presidential elections. Why? Ultimately political interest groups are interested in having their agenda pushed through during a given session. This means most political groups will do anything and everything necessary to get a candidate elected that sides with their interests. The electoral process as it stands now is set up to ensure a candidate is elected that will represent the interests and needs of the people. Because political interest groups represent the needs of certain groups of people within the US, they are an important aspect of most presidential campaigns. .

             The Influence Of Interest Groups In Campaigns.

             One example of a political interest group that recently influenced a presidential election is the case of the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth. This organization recently influenced the John Kerry and President Bush campaign. A nonprofit organization, the Swift Boats recently paid for a highly damaging campaign within the media suggesting that John Kerry presidential hopeful lied about his service in Vietnam. The nonprofit organization was able to spend money and place ads on television that were not subject to the regulations in place by the federal regulatory commission which currently monitors ads endorsed by presidential electorates. It is very likely that these ads, which portrayed John Kerry in a negative light, swayed more than one voter to Bushes side. The intent of the ads was to get the message across that not only was John Kerry a liar, but also an individual that would not stand the test of time and fight for his country when needed.