This page is part of an undergraduate assignment at Davidson College.

Knowles' Message Strategy

• Fauchaux would describe Knowles's message strategy as a "steady" and "aggressive" dual message ad campaign (Faucheux). Knowles' strategy followed negative ads with a positive ads that reflected Knowles' strength in an area where he had just criticized Murkowski. His campaign attempted to create the comparison of Knowles' independent leadership vs. Murkowski's dependence on special interest, business, and Republicans.

• Knowles's "machine gun attack" (Fauchaux) strategy focused on three main attacks, and when Murkowski responded to one, Knowles would attack with another, always keeping Murkowski on defense.
  • Knowles attacked Murkowski for siding with big businesses who outsource jobs overseas in ads called "Outsourcing," and followed with positive ads called "Oil and Gas Jobs" and "Hard Worker."
  • He employed the same strategy on issues of veterans' health care and prescription drug costs, both of which accused her of siding with special interest groups over Alaskans (see Ads).
  • Alongside his attack ads, Knowles ran an ad campaign that harped on his experienced and independent leadership to stand up against anyone, even his own party (see "Define"), that would prevent him from putting Alaskans first.

• Knowles' "knock out punch" (Fauchaux) was the nepotism issue, presented in his ad called "Friends and Family." The ad focuses on Murkowski's appointment from her father, Governor Murkowski, and how she then sided with interest groups and big businesses.

• Despite the results, the Knowles ran a strategically effective campaign. Running in a state that leans heavily Republican (Cook Report), Knowles had to challenge Murkowski's appointment and performance. He attacked, rather than defended, for a majority of the campaign, and his attacks mirrored his strengths, creating comparisons of experience and independence.

• The greatest conflict for Knowles arose over "nepotism". The Murkowski campaign complained that he had gone against his word when he told the DSCC to "get this ad down-- now" (The Hotline 8/30) after airing a nepotism ad. However, the Knowles campaign contended the situation changed when Murkowski publicly opposed Ballot Measure #4, which would prevent Alaskan governors from appointing Senate vacancies, and thus, became a campaign issue (The Hotline 10/28). Nonetheless, the Murkowski campaign had a response when Knowles finally did release his final attack ads, taking some sting out of their punch.

• Normatively, Knowles ran an ethically sound campaign because he didn't attack Murkowski personal character nor was he guilty of false accusations. The Murkowski campaign and Exxon challenged the truth in Knowles' claim that Murkowski voted for a bill providing 6.5 billion in tax cuts to Exxon. Knowles didn't shy away and said he wouldn't pull the ad until Exxon could show him evidence proving otherwise. The ad stayed (The Hotline 10/22).

Sources

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This page was created for a political science course.

Send comments to Scott Buckhout (scbuckhout@davidson.edu).

Created: November 15, 2004

Updated: November 15, 2004