The Partisan Content of Candidate Messages in US Senate Elections

This paper analyzes the partisan messages of US Senate campaign advertisements. Using data from 2000 to 2004, we measure the levels of partisan cues and “owned” issue mentions in US Senate campaigns. We hypothesize that campaigns are likely to use campaign communications involving partisan cues and owned issues when national and local conditions favor one of the parties. Our results recognize some variation in campaign strategies, providing strong evidence that candidates, political parties, and outside groups respond differently to local and national conditions when cueing party labels and party-owned issues.