The efficacy of issue and character attack message strategies in political campaign communication

This study examined comparative attack message strategies in political campaign communication. A total of 733 interviews were completed among potential voters in the U. S. Senate campaign during October 1986. The study hypothesized that, among people already committed to the opposing candidate, character attack messages exert more influence than issue attack messages. This prediction was not supported. Instead, the results indicated that, during the latter stages of a political campaign featuring known candidates, issue attack messages exert more change in attitudes and vote intention than character attack messages. Possible reasons for this finding are explored.