New media extended the life of sensational old-fashioned negative television advertising, used extensively in this month’s mid-term congressional elections in the United States.
Blogs, videos and campaign websites added diversity—some successful, some mediocre at best—to the continued use of a range of old media by seasoned campaigners in electoral districts across the nation.
Street verges from California to Maine were littered with kerbside advertising for aspirants to the US Senate and Congress, State Governships, and a range of State positions from Lieutenant Governor and Attorney-General, through to district School Boards and Judicial roles.
Many of these roadside signs featured website addresses for candidates that were focused on the candidate’s name. Rarely does the name of the party of the candidate feature on the signs, and rarely does the party feature prominently in the website.
In Arizona, it was simply www.janet2006.com for the incumbent governor Janet Napolitano, while her Republican challenger and Christian candidate Len Munsil used the simple www.lenmunsil.com. Of course, it is not in the interests of the extremely popular Democratic governor to highlight her party too greatly when she is the most popular politician in a overwhelmingly red state. Temperamentally conservative, she has carved out a “centrist” position which is popular in a state that many commentators believe should become more moderate, with the influx of retirees from the north and east. However, it takes some effort to find the word "Democrat" on her website.
Roadside billboards were also commandeered by candidates, including the incumbent president of the Navajo nation, Joe Shirley Jr and his opponent Lynda Lovejoy, a New Mexico commissioner on the state's Public Regulation Commission. Lovejoy campaigned to become the first female leader of a native American tribe. The Navajo nation is the largest native American reservation in the United States, and extends into New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.
Both sides' election websites had a softer feel and greater gravitas, while lacking the immediacy and responsiveness of many modern campaigns. Both Shirley and Lovejoy had fairly static, policy-based websites, www.reelectjoeshirleyjr.com and www.lovejoyphelps2006.com, providing fact sheets and "traditional" press statements. While the Navajo are a matriarchal society, for this important election traditional Navajo stuck to the belief that only men should serve as president; women are seen as the caretakers of the home and children, men are the providers and leaders.
Negative television campaigns continued to be a feature of the US elections. In many cases,