Changing the Dialogue: Candidate Position-Taking in Primary Elections

• In Event: Winning the Nomination: An Examination of Campaign Strategy in Primary Elections

Abstract

There is little debate that the attributes and characteristics of a candidate shape her presentation of self, political communication, and campaign strategy. But how do these qualities affect other candidates in her race? Using a novel data set of campaign website text for all candidates who ran in the 2018 primary election, we demonstrate that when a candidate with unique personal characteristics emerges in a race, other candidates in that contest are more likely to take up policy positions related to those qualities. For instance, men are significantly more likely to talk about women’s issues when one or more of the competitors in their primary is female. These findings have important implications on diversity in the congressional campaign dialogue.

Authors

• Rachel Porter

• Maura McDonald, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

• Sarah A. Treul, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill