by KYW's Steve Tawa
A political science professor at Temple University says close local races have translated into more and more ads on radio and TV this political season.
The volume of political ads -- most of which are negative -- is way up because many of the races are competitive, according to professor Michael Hagen (right), director of the Institute for Public Affairs at Temple:
"Campaigners and those who are making advertising have to do more to try to attract attention to their ads. That's part of the reason we're seeing more vitriol."
Hagen also sees a big difference in what the candidates are saying, especially in close House races in suburban Philadelphia and the US Senate races in Pennsylania and New Jersey:
"In many respects the Democrats would love to talk about national issues and Republicans would like to talk about local issues."
In one of the local US Senate races, Democrat Bob Casey is attacking Republican incumbent Rick Santorum and President Bush on national issues, like the war in Iraq, and whether we're safer because of it.
Hagen says it's a "mirror image" of 1994, when Bill Clinton was viewed as an unpopular president, Republicans introduced their "Contract With America," and Democrats only wanted to talk about their local districts.
(Photo: Temple Univ.)
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