This is part of a class assignment for Davidson College.
Richard Burr’s Campaign Message Strategy
Two Distinct Phases:
I. Meet and Greet
Burr spent the first part of 2004 campaigning across North Carolina, meeting voters, and producing positive biographical ads (Robertson 2004). In Burr’s own words, the early campaign was “a conscious effort for people to meet Richard Burr before they met the candidate” (Savodnik 2004). While the low-key nature of his early strategy frightened many Republicans and emboldened Democrats--whose candidate, Erskine Bowles, was up by 10 points in Summer 2004 polls--Burr exuded confidence in his plan: “I’ve won before, and I know what works for me” (Whittington 2004). Burr’s tactics effectively created a positive base from which to launch the fierce negative attacks that dominated the late campaign. His message of strong faith and conservative social values worked with voters. Exit polls show that “many of Burr’s voters--one in five--said religious faith was their top issue” and “One in five of Burr’s votes came from voters who said that same-sex marriage was the one issue that mattered most” (Dalesio 2004).
II. The Ad War
In September 2004, Burr said North Carolinians should prepare for “skin to rip and blood to flow” in the senate race (Savodnik 2004). Ignoring Bowles’ plea to “agree to ban all negative messages,” Burr quickly unleashed a series of vicious attack ads with the funds amassed during his early campaign (bowles2004.com). Arguably the most effective ads against Bowles focused on his role in the Clinton administration. While emphasizing his own fervent support of President Bush’s policy (a smart strategy in a state Bush would carry by 12 percentage points in 2004) Burr portrayed the former Clinton chief of staff as an influential advisor to a President “whose liberal mores and war against Big Tobacco helped solidify North Carolina as a red state” (Savodnik 2004). Ads featuring Bowles and Clinton together, along with other ads focused on divisive topics like gay marriage, allowed Burr to control the issues that Democrats running in the conservative South fear. As Walter Jones (R-NC) said, “There is a very deep concern about the breakdown of morality” (Savodnik 2004).
Analysis:
Strategic: Appealing to social conservatives and tying Bowles' image to unpopular Clinton allowed Burr to capitalize on the political context of North Carolina.
Normative: Burr's 5 point victory attests to a succesful strategy, though normatively his emphasis on personal issues over specific policy proposals places him in the dangerous category of candidates "whose pledges lack specificity" (Maisel 2002).
Conflict: Burr's support of Bush places his political fate largely in the hands of the current administration..
Created by Taylor Ansley
Created: 11/14/04
Last Updated: 11/14/04
