Media Coverage, Public Interest, and Support in the 2016 Republican Invisible Primary

Media Coverage, Public Interest, and Support in the 2016 Republican Invisible Primary

by Kevin Reuning, Pennsylvania State University and Nick Dietrich, Pennsylvania State University

The role of media coverage in elections is hotly debated. We examine how the media influence the 2016 Republican Primary Election using daily data on media coverage, interest in candidates, and support for candidates. We find that the media drives interest in candidates but not necessarily support for candidates. The one exception to this was Donald Trump where support was increased by increased media coverage.

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Perspectives on Politics, Volume 17, Issue 2, September 2018