All Politics is National: How the Public's Views on Presidential Policy Affect the Nationalization of Senate Campaigns

Abstract

Campaign ads are meant to persuade citizens to vote a certain way and employparticular strategies to achieve this. The strategies have changed over the past few decades, and the subjects of the advertisements have shifted. Advertisements no longer focus upon the issues within a given constituency, but instead cover national issues, and the symbol for national politics: the President. Considering 2 elections, 12 different campaigns, the public opinion of voters, and over 800 advertisements, I examine the President's role in the changing scope of economic issues in Senate campaigns. This analysis shows that as the public's opinion of the President's policies and role in government changes, Senate campaign advertisements adapt and the issues discussed become nationalized.