Issue ownership as a determinant of negative campaigning

Abstract

Existing studies on the determinants of negative campaigning conclude that context matters as the degree of positive and negative campaigning vary according to factors such as proximity to election day, poll standing, incumbency status, and the size of the ‘war chest’. The present article discusses whether not only the context, but also the content of campaigns needs to be considered when analysing why and when political parties go negative. The article argues that parties enjoying ownership of campaign issues tend to employ a more positive rhetorical style than parties with less ownership. Using four Danish election campaigns as cases, this proposition is empirically supported: the degree of issue ownership is positively correlated with a positive campaign tone, controlling for a range of traditional contextual factors. The new content factor does not outperform the usual contextual suspects, but it adds nuance to the general understanding of the determinants of negativity.