negative campaigning

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Negativity in Senate Races Is 'Overwhelming'

Nastiness on display in Nevada, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin races

(Newser) - Senate candidates in battleground states are facing an onslaught of ads attacking everything from their character to their preferred sports teams, showing negative campaign tactics have risen "to a new level" this year, the Hill reports. "You turn on the TV, it's overwhelming with the negativity,"...

Maine Candidate Attacked for ... Playing World of Warcraft

State GOP sets up a page devoted to bashing her virtual life

(Newser) - Would you want a state senator who enjoyed stabbing and poisoning people? The Maine GOP is betting you wouldn't, so they've launched what may be the most surreal campaign against Democrat Colleen Lachowicz, attacking her because (gasp!) she plays World of Warcraft. "In our world Colleen...

Why Obama's Bain Attacks Are Actually Working

They illustrate 'stark divide between capital and the rest of us': Michael Wolff

(Newser) - Barack Obama's attacks on Mitt Romney's Bain Capital tenure are working, especially in swing states, according to a recent New York Times article—even though Democrats' populist attacks tend to flop, and even though many Democrats, like Cory Booker, oppose them. Their thinking is simple, Michael Wolff explains...

Obama Ads Blast Romney as 'Outsourcer-in-Chief'

Campaign capitalizes on Washington Post article

(Newser) - The Obama campaign is once again attacking Mitt Romney's past at Bain Capital, this time capitalizing on a Washington Post article on the firm's propensity for sending jobs overseas. "Does Virginia really want an outsourcer-in-chief in the White House?" asks one of three new ads the campaign...

Mitt Romney: the 'Gotcha Candidate'

Politico says he's become adept at going on offense

(Newser) - Heavy opposition research and 'gotcha' moments—never have they been used by a front-runner as much as Mitt Romney has used them this political season, writes Politico . (The article even dubs him the "gotcha candidate.") Throughout 20 Republican debates, Romney has been the most consistently ready...

Stats Prove It: 2012 Race Much, Much Nastier

Negative ads rule the airwaves

(Newser) - It's not your imagination: This year's Republican primary season really has been drastically more negative than usual. In 2008, just 6% of GOP primary campaign advertising attacked other Republicans, but this year that figure has shot to 51%, the Washington Post reports. The tone of the ads has...

Gingrich Threatens to Sue Over Attack Ad

Campaign warns TV stations not to air super PAC spot

(Newser) - Newt Gingrich's campaign is threatening to sue Michigan TV stations that air a negative ad accusing him of supporting China's "one-child" policy, reports Politico . The mud in this case is being flung by the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future, and it alleges that 1989 legislation sponsored...

Santorum Ad Goes After Mud-Slinger 'Rombo'

Romney's negative attacks will backfire, it warns

(Newser) - The newest buzz-generating character on the campaign trail is "Rombo," courtesy of a Rick Santorum ad. In it, a Mitt Romeny lookalike tries to spray Santorum with a mud gun only to have it backfire on his white shirt. Romney's "negative attack machine is back, on...

Negative Attacks Souring Colorado Voters on GOP

'Anybody but Obama' not enough for crucial independents in swing states

(Newser) - The bruising, highly negative Republican presidential nomination fight appears to be creating a new casualty as the race moves into swing states like Colorado—independent voters, reports the Los Angeles Times . President Obama may have disappointed many voters over the past three years, but the GOP candidates' continuing bashing of...

Limbaugh Blasts 'Whining' Over Negative Campaigns

Right-wing radio host slams Gingrich and Tom Brokaw

(Newser) - Rush Limbaugh told his fellow Republicans to buck up and quit whining about negative campaigning . And not just them. "I’m getting tired hearing about it from everyone," Limbaugh said on his radio show . “What in the world is politics? What is it, if not this?” The...

Brown, Warren Make Pact to Boot Super PACs

But will it work?

(Newser) - Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren are rivals in a sure-to-be-bitterly-contested race for Ted Kennedy's old Senate seat, but they both want super PACs to stay out of it: The rivals yesterday entered into a pact discouraging outside groups from airing ads on their behalf; both Brown and Warren agreed...

Romney Blasts Gingrich With Freddie Mac Ad

Mitt's team releases first negative campaign ad

(Newser) - Looks like the latest Florida poll is getting on Mitt Romney's nerves. Today his campaign released its first negative campaign ad, which says Newt Gingrich "cashed in" while the housing crisis walloped Florida families. Gingrich "has spent almost his entire adult life as a member of Congress...

Rivals Bash Ron Paul on Foreign Policy

While Paul counters with support from veterans

(Newser) - Now that Ron Paul looks like an actual threat to win the Iowa caucuses , his rivals are at last taking shots at him, aiming primarily at what they think is his biggest weakness: foreign policy. “You don’t have to vote for a candidate who will allow Iran to...

Gingrich Lambastes Romney for PAC's 'Smear Campaign'

Mitt says he can't control 'independent' group

(Newser) - Mitt Romney was confronted yesterday over the anti-Gingrich attack ads that a pro-Romney super PAC has been pumping out, prompting him to label the whole concept of super PACs “a disaster”—and insist he couldn’t lawfully intervene. “My goodness, if we coordinate in any way whatsoever,...

Romney Launches All-Out Attack on Newt

Surrogates slam him as an unreliable leader

(Newser) - Mitt Romney has taken the gloves off. Advisers James Talent and John Sununu held a conference call with reporters yesterday to trash Newt Gingrich, with Talent saying he was "not a reliable and trusted leader," and Sununu alleging that he "is more concerned about Newt Gingrich than...

Obama's Top Strategy for 2012: Attack Romney

President's campaign prepares to paint him as 'weird' and greedy: Politico

(Newser) - If Politico has it right, team Obama not only expects Mitt Romney to be the GOP nominee, it is ready to unleash a "ferocious personal assault" against him. The go-negative approach would have two fronts: portray Romney as a "weird" guy out of touch with ordinary people and...

Alan Grayson Loses Florida Race to 'Taliban Dan'
 Grayson Falls to 'Taliban Dan' 
THE HOUSE
Nov 3, 2010 1:20 AM CDT

Grayson Falls to 'Taliban Dan'

GOP's Dan Webster credits victory to positive campaign

(Newser) - In one of the nation's most keenly watched House races, voters in central Florida rejected combative liberal incumbent Rep. Alan Grayson in favor of veteran Republican state lawmaker Dan Webster. The Democrat—who drew the wrath of GOP leaders for saying the Republican health care plan was to "die...

Whitman Booed for Refusing to Stop Negative Ads

Jerry Brown promises to take down his, Meg demurs

(Newser) - California voters might be just a wee bit fed up with the negative campaign ads spewing from the Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown campaigns. At a joint appearance at the annual Women’s Conference last night, Matt Lauer asked both candidates if they’d agree to pull their negative ads—...

Dems Get Nasty; Karl Rove's Baaaack
 Dems Get Nasty; 
 Karl Rove's Baaaack 
STRATEGY 2010
Sep 26, 2010 8:44 AM CDT

Dems Get Nasty; Karl Rove's Baaaack

Twin NYT reports on both sides' strategy for the midterms

(Newser) - As Republicans eye the keys to both houses, Democrats are taking the gloves off: Candidates around the country are opening an earlier-than-ever round of attack ads assailing opponents as anything from a "dishonest used-car salesman" to a "predatory real estate speculator." Starting with five weeks to go...

McCain Launches Preemptive Strike on Hayworth

Campaign gets aggressive early against conservative challenger

(Newser) - John McCain is pulling no punches in an offensive against primary challenger JD Hayworth, whom he hopes to shut down before Hayworth's campaign even begins. McCain has rallied his troops to file complaints with the FEC about Hayworth’s radio program, which they allege he was using to campaign in...

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