Going Negative before the Push
The Association of Trial Lawyers and the AARP have started the mud slinging for the fall. Yesterday they introduced a commercial accusing Chris Chocola of colluding with pharmecutical companies to keep drug prices high and thus hurting Seniors with thinning the effectiveness of medicare.
The groups that did this didn't do a good job of understanding the logistics of campaigning. Their efforts will not help Joe Donnelly's effort to beat Chocola. Here's why.
Its too early for negative campaigning. Voters are more likely to tune out everything about a race when things start out on the negative side this early. The tone of the commercial eludes to ugly things yet to come. All it will accomplish will be to entrench the party lines. in a race that is seen to be tight a campaign needs as much crossover votes as possible.
While the AARP has credibility on the medicare issue, the leading partner in this commercial does not. Lack of credibility by either party in a commercial like this limits its effectiveness.
They are using a blanket approach. This advertisement is being seen in Congressional districts not adjacent to the intended viewership. That means that they are wasting a lot of money putting their commercial on the airwaves to people who have no save in the Chocola/ Donnelly race.
The groups that did this didn't do a good job of understanding the logistics of campaigning. Their efforts will not help Joe Donnelly's effort to beat Chocola. Here's why.
Its too early for negative campaigning. Voters are more likely to tune out everything about a race when things start out on the negative side this early. The tone of the commercial eludes to ugly things yet to come. All it will accomplish will be to entrench the party lines. in a race that is seen to be tight a campaign needs as much crossover votes as possible.
While the AARP has credibility on the medicare issue, the leading partner in this commercial does not. Lack of credibility by either party in a commercial like this limits its effectiveness.
They are using a blanket approach. This advertisement is being seen in Congressional districts not adjacent to the intended viewership. That means that they are wasting a lot of money putting their commercial on the airwaves to people who have no save in the Chocola/ Donnelly race.
posted by Indiana Pundit at 2:04 PM
10 Comments:
So what do you think of the string of negative ads by Mark Souder against Tom Hayhurst on WOWO?
Mike Sylvester
Dear Pundit:
Your comments are more interesting and more credible when they at least APPEAR to be somewhat non-partisan. I'm with Sylvester on this one and am curious why you don't mention Souder's attacks. Or further, why you imply that Donnelly went negative first in the South Bend race? Chocola did.
I haven't mentioned Souder's attacks because I hadn't heard them yet. When I hear them I will comment.
On the donnelly matter, I will say his campaign didn't go negative. It was a third party that went negative on his behalf.
I am unaware of Chocola going negative. I'm not saying he didn't. But as I do not live in his district I am not a target of his ads.
Pundit-
Where are the ads playing that is NOT adjacent to the district?
Listen to WOWO my friend. Mark Souder has run SEVERAL negative ads against Hayhurst.
He also has run SEVERAL ads that attack the JG.
Mike Sylvester
These ads are being seen in the 6th (Pence) and 8th (Hostetler) Districts.
There is overflow in trying to hit your target audience and then there is overflow because you don't know who your target is.
If you asked the groups behind these ads to draw a map showing the approximate boundaries of the 2nd district they wouldn't be able to do it.
IP, I find your statements dishonest. I refuse to believe that you missed the personal attacks that Chocola levied against Donnelly regarding late property and payroll tax payments. You've simply ignored them.
Let me also say that THOSE were attack ads. They personally attacked the candidate for something outside of his policy positions and the issue at hand had NOTHING to do w/ Donnelly himself.
The recent ads against Chocola only point out how he voted for a single issue. Unfortunately for Chocola it makes him look bad - that's not negative campaigning; that's SMART campaigning.
Also, this is not too early for this type of ad. The voters need to be reminded early and often how Chocola has not represented their interests. The strategy you suggest is a losing one...
Jeff, I am not being dishonest. I have not seen or heard any chocola ads. I only saw this ad on TV just yesterday. I'm not ignoring anything.
If I were to see the chocola ads I would still think they are a waste of money as I am nowhere close to being in his district.
If I see it I will comment.
I haven't mentioned Souder's attacks because I hadn't heard them yet. When I hear them I will comment.
Pundit - Are you not a WOWO listener? Souder began attack ads against Hayhurst immediately after the primary race.
I don't usually listen to tal radio. I find it to be too distracting at work.
I did listen sporadically last week just to be able to address your issue with the Souder ads. That post will print later this week.
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