NewsLocal News

Actions

Here's how negative political ads impact voter morale

Posted
and last updated

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With just days until the midterm elections, campaigns are in the homestretch. 

And that means political ads are everywhere — playing non-stop during commercial breaks on TV, on the radio, and even popping up in social media feeds.

"I am very sick and tired of seeing those ads," Kashe Turner said.

Turner and others told 41 Action News they are experiencing political fatigue. It's a real phenomenon according to Rockhurst University professor Thomas Ringenberg.

"In Kansas, Missouri, wherever it's all going to be political ads," Ringenberg said. "You can expect every second of airtime to be campaign ads."

Candidates in both Missouri and Kansas who are running for congress or governor have spent millions of dollars on their campaigns. Each candidate still has hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend.

Mark Culter is the vice president and general counsel to Port KC. He has also worked on campaigns in the past and said campaigns will spend every dollar from now until the election.

"It is all about motivating their base at this point. It's all about motivating supporters to come out and support [them]," he said.

While many voters have complained about negative ads, Culter said campaigns strategically use them.

"The most easily discouraged voter is the moderate voter, the one in the middle, the independent," he said. "When they hear the bickering, they are going to stay home."