Negative ads are helping Ed Gillespie win over Trump supporters in the Virginia governor's race

[DonViejo]

By James Hohmann November 1 at 7:31 AM

THE BIG IDEA: The dirty little secret about attack ads is that they usually work. That’s why campaigns run them, even though voters constantly complain about how much they hate negativity.

Ed Gillespie, the Republican nominee for governor in Virginia, has been running some doozies this fall. He’s spent millions on often misleading ads that paint his patrician opponent, Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, as soft on pedophiles and the Latino gang MS-13. He’s made the protection of Confederate monuments one of his signature issues. “I’m for keeping ’em up, and he’s for taking ’em down,” Gillespie says to camera. “And that’s a big difference in November!”

These spots represent a stunning about-face for a former Republican National Committee chairman who made a name for himself evangelizing about the need for the GOP to reject dog whistles and improve outreach to minorities. But Gillespie seems willing to trade his reputation for victory if that’s what is required. And his strategy is paying dividends.

A new Washington Post-Schar School poll finds that Northam’s lead has narrowed to five percentage points, down from 13 points a month ago. He leads among likely voters 49 percent to Gillespie’s 44 percent, a margin that is not statistically significant. The Republican has closed a motivation gap and seen his share of support rise among supporters of President Trump, without driving away independents and moderates.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2017/11/01/daily-202-negative-ads-are-helping-ed-gillespie-win-over-trump-supporters-in-the-virginia-governor-s-race/59f9276930fb0468e7653ff4

[leftynyc]

1. If the margin of error

is over 5 (which is what they're claiming calling a 49 vs 44 lead statistically insignificant), the poll is worthless.

[uponit7771]

3. +1, .. and I don't see their MOE percentage posted in the poll.

[leftynyc]

9. Now you know why

If the writer is trying to make sure people get off their asses to vote, that's not a bad thing and not something I would ever discourage.

[uponit7771]

2. Its rational to think the Russians are helping Gillespie and since VA is a Republican Voter ...

... Suppression state they'll do all they can to tilt this Gillespie's way.

I pray VA voters don't put up with anything other than the poll leading winning here.

[FM123]

4. You could be right about that...

If the Russians moved heaven and earth to put their favored candidates in place before, they are certainly not going to stop now. Trump was just their beginning.

[JaneQPublic]

5. One I heard last night was a "Willie Horton" re-tread.

It was the one claiming Northam let loose a sexual predator to prey on children.

Fortunately, Northam had a response ad minutes later pointing out that he is a pediatrician who has volunteered for years for a children's hospice, so to suggest he would do anything to harm children was utter nonsense.

[Iliyah]

6. I dunno, I have a feeling GOPers are trying to set up the close % thingy

so they can rig the elections. I think Dems have it covered.

[crazycatlady]

7. call out the vote

https://www2.democracyforamerica.com/events/dfadialer/2017?akid=10055.2015136.VpygPh&rd=1&refcode=g-dfadialer1025.d-20171025.m-10055.s-36756&t=2

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Wait A Second!

There was even the slightest chance that Gillespie wasn't going to get the votes of Trump supporters? Ridiculous.

This is over-analysis, and by a lot. First, that type doesn't need to be extra motivated to get out and vote. They have already shown that. Secondly, if they were already willing to support that type of slime as a candidate, they were not going to vote for the dem anyway.

Pointless article.