NC update, Hagan still leading, candidate ads mix it up

The latest Public Policy Polling in the North Carolina senate race continues to show Democrat challenger Kay Hagen leading. As of Monday, Oct 27 Hagan was up +3 over the Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole. Below is a link to the pdf of the full press release with polling questions and summary retrieved from Real Clear Politics.

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_NC_1027484.pdf

For anyone interested I’ve included links to a pair of ads from the North Carolina senate candidates. The Kay Hagan ad reminds me quite a bit of Ray Strother’s famous Social Security ad, the one we watched in the study group session with the lonely walk to an empty mail box. This Hagan ad relies heavily on a series of similar emotional appeals to middle class voters and values.

Hagan ad: http://www.kayhagan.com/tv/our-second-ad-level

Dole ad: http://www.elizabethdole.org/ click on “Watch Our New Ad” tab

Dole’s official campaign site: http://www.elizabethdole.org/ has a section called “smear meter” which claims Kay Hagan’s campaign has spent “Now, $20,000,000” on negative ads using smear tactics against Dole. The site also boasts a banner ad at the bottom of the page which says… “Volunteer now and win a dinner with Senator Elizabeth Dole.” I question this move, I think this makes the candidate sound more like a wacky morning radio DJ than the highly respectable incumbent Senator from North Carolina.

The Dole spot linked above is a very interesting take on the “straight talk” appeal. The ad begins with the candidate’s approval of the message and continues as a direct address appeal throughout. A few dramatic images are edited in briefly, but I think this strategy is powerful and effective. Dole is down 3 in the polls and her campaign has talked a lot about Hagan’s negative tactics, making it difficult to run spots too similar in strategy to the ones they’ve objected to. This ad is remarkably simple and puts the candidate’s ethos front and center, but the ad doesn't acknowledge Hagan directly.