The New Orleans mayor’s race is shifting into second gear, and with it comes a familiar sight: Political ads hitting the airwaves.
Some are promoting candidates’ own platforms, while others are beginning to take aim at their opponents.
Political analyst Dr. Ed Chervanak says the strategy isn’t surprising. For candidates not currently leading in the polls, now is the time to make moves that could shake up the race. But he cautions that going too negative can backfire.
“In order to make traction, especially if you’re not in the lead, you have to start speaking to the other candidates,” Chervanak explained. “The key is sticking to facts. If the ads go too negative, they risk turning voters off.”
So do attack ads really sway voters? The answer is complicated. Chervanak says research is mixed on whether these kinds of ads move undecided voters or pull support away from one candidate to another.
What they do accomplish, however, is energizing a candidate’s existing base, something that could prove critical with voter turnout likely to be a deciding factor.
He adds that a portion of the electorate is still checked out of the race altogether. That’s where repetition comes into play. “It takes several times hearing something for it to stick,” Chervanak noted. “That’s why campaigns keep running the same messages over and over again.”
So, brace yourself! As Election Day inches closer, the ads are only going to keep coming.
The question is whether they’ll actually shape the outcome, or just add to the noise.
The primary election is October 11th. Helena Moreno has been leading in the polls by a wide margin, with Royce Duplessis and Oliver Thomas fighting for second place and trying to force a runoff.
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