Washington, DC, USA. The typical US election for president and congress is a hard sprint toward the finish line. Everything is under tight control, with campaign appearances scheduled for friendly audiences at a considerable distance from the general population.

We can always expect a flashy — but largely superficial — discussion of the issues.

Lancaster, PA, USA. Among Republicans, it’s axiomatic: Protracted presidential primary battles in the spring tend to hurt the party’s chances for victory in the fall.

This year, however, that hoary maxim seems to have been turned on its head by the newer GOP conventional wisdom that prolonged nomination contests lead to stronger, battle-tested nominees who win in the fall.