“Money really does make a difference ...”

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Political spending pays off
By Katie Huinker, October 1, 2014

Video

It’s campaign season, which means political ads are taking over television space. Volunteers are manning the phones and knocking on doors, not to mention signs of support are popping up in yards across the nation. To do all of this though, costs some major bucks.

“Money really does make a difference,” says political science instructor, Bennett Smith.

That’s because all of these tactics influence potential voters.

“I guess I really try not to let the ads sway me,” says first-time voter, Olivia Bisbee.

Being that it is her first time filling out a ballot, she is paying attention to one of the more costly methods of grabbing your vote, television ads.

“I’m a very busy college student, so it’s tough to be able to research a lot of that. So, I try to keep up on those ads,” says Bisbee.

That’s why one political analyst says, money talks.

“Money is very important, I will emphasize that, and it does make a real difference in elections,” says Smith.

However, he points out that it’s not all about air time.

“One of the keys to any campaign is what they call the ground war,” says Smith.

The ground war includes, volunteers on the phones, knocking on doors, and candidate appearances.

“That makes a huge difference because people get tuned out by the TV ads,” says Smith.

He advises voters to research multiple sources to find where candidates stand on issues you care about. Which is something Brisbee plans to make time for, before filling out her ballot.

“I also want to keep in my mind where this candidate stands on issues, so I make the best decision for what I believe,” says Brisbee.

Smith adds while it’s important, it’s obviously not a clear indicator of the election outcome. Speaking of money, this week, gubernatorial candidate, Jack Hatch withdrew his scheduled television ads. Branstad’s camp says, it’s a sign that his campaign is running dry, however, Hatch’s campaign officials comment that it is just a change of strategy. Smith comments that it’s not surprising that the Hatch campaign struggled with raising money, considering they are going up against such a long standing governor.

His struggle is very evident when looking at the numbers. Governor Terry Branstad has raised $2.2 million for television ads so far, while Hatch has spent just $129,000. In the senate race, Congressman Bruce Braley and State Senator Joni Ernst are closer in spending. Braley has coughed up $2 million, and Ernst has spent $1.4 million.

Political experts say to keep in mind, the majority of funding for these ads now comes from outside sources, like political action committees or super-pacs, rather than the campaign itself.
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