Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter One: The Last Republican President
Chapter Two: Young Guns and Billionaires
Chapter Three: Ted Cruz Crashes the Party
Chapter Four: The Great Wall of Mexico
Chapter Five: Strongmen Don't Pivot
Chapter Six: The Republicans Pivot
Chapter Seven: Conclusion--What Can Be Done?
Notes
Bibliography
Index

About the Author

Samuel L. Popkin is Research Professor of Political Science at the University of California San Diego and has been a consulting analyst in five Democratic presidential campaigns, as well as consulting for polling with CBS News and YouGov. He is the author of The Reasoning Voter and The Candidate (Oxford).

Reviews

"What the hell happened to the GOP? Is something just as destructive in store for the Democratic Party? The answers Popkin offers-part post-mortem, part prescription - are as shrewd as they are urgent." -- Jill Lepore, author of These Truths
"Crackup brilliantly confirms why Popkin is one of the most respected political observers of our time. Not only a keen, precise explanation of how Washington unraveled, this is a thrilling examination of overlooked decisions and hidden dramas. I started highlighting the text and gave up because every page is overflowing with insights, analysis, and detail. This book is permanently installed on my desk." -- Evan Osnos, Staff Writer, The New
Yorker
"Popkin performs two distinct and important services in his book. First, in a thoughtful narrative with which I agree completely, he provides a much-needed corrective to the failure to understand the critical omnipresence of well-functioning political parties to the success of democratic government. Second, he provides a logical, well-argued explanation of why the system is malfunctioning with which I differ, and which I welcome." -- Barney Frank, former member
of the US House of Representatives
"Popkin writes with verve and good humor, knows a whole lot about politics, and is gifted at mobilizing a good story to make a point. If you are like me, you will disagree with him in fundamental ways but still appreciate the ride Popkin takes you on - and know you'd enjoy arguing with him late into the night." -- E.J. Dionne Jr, author of Code Red
"Popkin, one of the nation's foremost scholars of elections, has written an indispensable book explaining the conflicts within the Republican Party that led to the election of Trump. No one is better equipped to describe this history of collapse, and he does so with rigor and grace." -- Thomas B. Edsall, Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times
"Popkin's brilliant book could not be more timely. Crackup masterfully diagnoses the descent of the Republican Party from 'comity to carnage,' while reminding us that no political party is immune to the dynamics of breakdown." -- Sarah Binder, Professor, George Washington University
"Popkin artfully traces the financial consequences of McCain-Feingold and Citizens United. He has written an important book on an important topic and it should be read by anyone interested in contemporary American politics." -- Mathew D. McCubbins, Professor, Duke University