"When candidates run attack ads, they run the risk of a backlash effect–where the ad hurts their cause more than the target of the attack," says University of Oregon journalism professor Wayne Wanta, who researched the impact of attack ads in the last presidential campaign. The Republican Party announced yesterday it will spend $10 million in the final week of the congressional races on ads focusing on Clinton’s sexual foibles and cover-up. Wanta says the decision risks encouraging a sympathy vote for Democratic candidates because voters may feel they are being unfairly attacked. "Backlash effects are especially dangerous when the attacks target a candidate’s character," Wanta explains. "Attack ads are more effective when they attack an opponent’s stand on issues. This is likely because an attack on character appears unfair while an attack on an issue stand appears fairer. If the Republicans attack President Clinton, making his character the main target of the ad, the ads may be judged to be unfair by voters and so they run a huge risk in having the ads backfire." Attack ads can suppress turnout, however, notes Wanta, especially among independents so Republicans tend to gain more from low turnout than Democrats. Wanta’s book based on his research on this topic, "The Public and the National Agenda: How People Learn About Important Issues," was published in 1997. SOURCE: Wayne Wanta, associate professor of journalism and communication, (541) 346-3752;
e-mail, wanta@oregon.uoregon.edu.

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