Study Looks At Negative Campaigning In Governor’s Race

A study of campaign commercials in the Governor’s race shows the challenger is not the attacker. Communications professor Bill Benoit at the University of Missouri has listened to every statement in the campaign ads for Bob Holden and Claire McCaskill. His findings were released before this weekend’s anti-McCaskill ad by the Holden campaign. Benoit has found Holden is attacking McCaskill twice as much as she is attacking him. Both discuss policy much more than character. Benoit also has analyzed the two debates between Holden and McCaskill. There, the situation is reversed. 44 percent of McCaskill’s statements attacked Holden. Seven percent of Holden’s statements were negative. In both debates, both candidates exmphasized policy more than character.