Black Candidates Are Punished for Ambiguous Rhetoric
New research finds studied slipperiness on the issues can help candidates for office—depending on their race.
Campaigns
What's With All the Candidates?
There are a number of peculiar factors operating in today's political environment that have had the effect of boosting interest in running for office. But at what cost?
Political Campaigns Persuade Few—If Any—Voters
New research suggests they can mobilize partisans, but very seldom change minds.
The People Who Finance Political Campaigns
Those who donate to campaigns are very different from the average voter.
Five Studies: The Political Power of Going Negative
The most negative advertisements can also be the most informative—and Twitter is empowering female candidates to be more aggressive.
The Political Power of a Negative Campaign
An early look at a Pacific Standard story that's currently only available to subscribers.
When Campaign Volunteers Do More Harm Than Good
Volunteers often don't look or sound like the people they're trying to win over, and that can be costly.
How Political Consultants Took a Texas Oilman on a Wild Ride
The head of a Texas oil dynasty joined the parade of wealthy political donors, aiming to flip the Senate to Republicans. By the time consultants were done with him, the war chest was drained and fraud allegations were flying.
The Kids Are All Right (at Least When It Comes to Politics)
Young Americans aren't as disengaged as you might think.
In Praise of Canvassers in Election Time
It is still, by far, the most reliable campaign method of actually getting someone to turn out to vote.
The Bankruptcy of Authenticity
Every presidential candidate is essentially playing some sort of role. That doesn't mean that they're lying.
The Case for a National Primary
With the way things are currently structured, most voters don’t participate in choosing the candidates that ultimately go on to represent them. But there’s a relatively easy fix.
The Incredible Demand on Campaign Reporters to Keep Things Interesting
Will the recent incorporation of some working political scientists into legacy media outlets help curb the use of misleading headlines and made-up stories of momentum in campaign coverage?
Inconclusive Results: Obama's Not-So-Big Data
After the last presidential election, wide-eyed pundits hailed a brave new era of political campaigning, crediting Obama's victory to his team's wizardry with data. The hype was premature. Here's what the story of 2012 really means for the future of politics.
I Am Luscious, and Other Campaign Slogans
Politicians are all about self-promotion and self-awareness. With a little help from the naming conventions of a vegan menu, could these attributes be used to better inform voters?
Did All of Obama and Romney's Campaigning Really Matter?
The wisdom of political science says that campaigns don't really matter. So why are campaigns starting to hire political scientists?
'Speeches Must Be Short': Radio and the Birth of the Modern Presidential Campaign
The origin of the soundbite can be traced to the 1924 U.S. presidential election, the first one ever covered heavily by a broadcast medium, radio.
Political Fact Checking That Doesn’t Amplify the Lie
The next generation of political fact checking will offer humor and quicker turnarounds without further propagating the underlying deception.
Political Infamy Is Raising Money — For Both Sides
A new measurement using Google search terms creates an “infamy index” for politicians and finds that being infamous helps in fundraising.
Federal Contractors May Be Told to Disclose Donations
In an end run around the "Citizens United" Supreme Court decision it disliked, the Obama administration is considering having all federal contractors disclose their political donations.
Candidate Websites Give Democrats Advantage
An analysis of presidential candidates’ websites during the 2008 primaries finds Democrats used the Internet in a more sophisticated way.
Negative Campaign Ads Set New Lows, But Also Inform More
The Wesleyan Media Project has studied the glut of U.S. midterm congressional TV ads and determined we've set a new low in negativity — and perhaps a new high in information.
Study: Personally Delivered Negative Messages Don't Work
Mudslinging may get results for campaigns, but new research suggests that these negatively tailored messages should not be delivered in person.
Hillary Clinton as Tragic Figure
Playwrights function quite differently from pundits, but Jon Robin Baitz manages to fill both roles quite nicely, as his most recent entry at The Huffington Post demonstrates.