Negative Campaign Ads Surge as Election Nears — Experts Say They Work

The Power Behind Political Negativity
With Election Day fast approaching, voters in Virginia — and across the country — are seeing a spike in negative campaign ads. While many Americans claim to dislike political mudslinging, experts say those attack ads aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“People will say they don’t like negative advertising, but the reason why it persists is because it works,” explained Dr. Cayce Myers, professor and director of graduate studies at Virginia Tech. According to Myers, negative messages often shape the conversation around a race, influencing how candidates are perceived and how issues are discussed.

Why Candidates Go Negative
Voters tend to tune in more during the final stretch of a campaign, which is why the barrage of attack ads intensifies in the last few weeks. “Typically, you can galvanize voters more to motivate them to vote against someone than for someone,” Myers said.

Rather than convincing voters to love their candidate, campaigns often aim to make voters wary of the opponent — enough to push them to the polls. In a tight race, that tactic can move margins.

A Record-Breaking Cycle
Political ad spending in Virginia is on pace to hit historic highs this cycle, with more than $71.6 million spent across statewide races — $34.1 million of that tied to the race for governor. Candidates are also increasingly focused on social media clips and viral debate moments designed for quick-impact messaging.

Myers believes the gubernatorial contest may be closer than polls suggest. Whether negative ads eventually lose their influence remains to be seen. For now, they remain a cornerstone of modern campaigning — because they’re still effective.