If it feels like you can’t turn on the TV, check your mailbox or scroll online without seeing political ads in New Hampshire, you’re not imagining it.
Political ads in New Hampshire are in fact hard to escape this election season, with millions of dollars being spent to influence voters.
Outside groups have already poured about $50 million into New Hampshire’s US Senate race between Democrat Chris Pappas and Republican John Sununu.
That’s a whole lot of money being spent trying to get your attention, and potentially your vote.
But are these political ads actually changing anyone’s mind? Or are they just annoying voters?
So this week’s question was…
Are political ads in New Hampshire changing voters’ minds?
We asked Granite Staters whether political ads in New Hampshire are turning them off or simply getting ignored. Here’s what they told us …
“When I see an ad for the first time, it might raise a point I hadn’t considered, but when I see the same ads 50 or 100 times, I begin to wish there was a way both candidates could lose.” — John McInnis
“I don’t have cable television, so I don’t see the ads. I occasionally watch something on YouTube, so I will see ads there, which I find incredibly annoying. I don’t put any stock in the ads, as I think they just glom onto any negative aspect about the candidate and run with it. I try to make informed decisions by listening to and reading reliable journalism.” — Jane Duggan
“I ignore political ads. They’re theater — good only for entertainment. I rely on a candidate’s record and what I see in their eyes. I also believe that public officials have to follow and be held to a higher standard of behavior than the average Joe on the street.” — JoAnn Carlson
“Yes! But not the way they want them to. Ads with false statements (if one takes the time to verify the so-called facts) totally turn me off to that candidate. Negative ads bashing an opponent do not impress me. I want to hear what the candidate is doing or has done for me and my family.
Best political ad so far is the newly released one about Maggie Goodlander! I’d give her an Oscar for that one.” — Cindi
“Absolutely not. Don’t even see them at this point.” — Sandy Allen
“I don’t watch political ads — in fact, I actively avoid them. I get my information by reading, trying to assess the reality vs. the BS.” — David Masters
For some voters, political ads in New Hampshire aren’t persuasive at all. In fact, negative campaign messaging may be having the opposite effect.
Why negative political ads are turning off New Hampshire voters
“Ads from both sides tend to be propaganda and very focused upon personalities, and not solutions to major issues like healthcare quality, not just costs, wage increases and energy affordability.” — Wayne Yuhasz
“Sununu comes across as creepy.” — Burt Cohen
“Oh, definitely. I note with relish how Republicans so ardently embrace anti-corruption and wealth-collusion in their ads against Pappas. Deft dance, that, around the Trumpian elephant in their room and the culture of special interest protectionism Sununu and Ayotte have brought to NH. On a less cynical note, I’m sorry that NH Dems can’t find and field the fresh talent/ideas many other states have. What a clean sweep opportunity this is to bring in bright new candidates — are Pappas and Warmington really the best they can do?” — Rande Neukam
“I can’t stand the ad for DiLorenzo, straight out of 20 years ago. We need intelligent, thoughtful leaders, not ‘successful businessmen’ like Trump. But the ad that drives me straight to the competition is that ad attacking Warmington for not knowing 25 years ago that OxyContin is dangerous. Twenty-five years ago, doctors didn’t know how dangerous it is. But at least three times in every half-hour news broadcast, I am told that Warmington should have been able to know the future of medical science. Again and again and again. If that is the worst that Ayotte can come up with, then Warmington must be pretty good.” — Jonathan Schwartz
“It seems like I see dozens of the same ads each hour for U.S. Congress and governor of New Hampshire, where it is having a reverse effect on me. Could you imagine the good it would do if candidates donated half the money spent on oversaturated ads to NH charities such as food banks instead?” — Stuart Schuster
“Political ads do influence how I view candidates, but not in the way they want. Attack ads cause me to dislike the sponsor and disregard the subject. I want to know what a candidate can do for me, not how bad his opponent is.” — Les Fenton
Beyond whether political ads in New Hampshire are effective, readers also questioned whether the messages themselves can be trusted.
Do New Hampshire voters trust political advertising?
“No, I read and watch news from a variety of sources and fact-check information. Political ads do not influence me.” — Julie Prentice
“They definitely make you think twice. For sure, affecting the undecided and changing the vote counts. They cannot be avoided if you browse the internet, and they have been mostly negative attack ads, unfortunately.” — Tom Chew
“Ads put out by candidates turn me off and actually make me angry. This needs to stop. Many people don’t fact-check. Much of it is untrue and extremely disrespectful to all of us.” — Suzanne Chretien
“Most people probably don’t know that political ads are not bound by truth in advertising, like, for instance, product advertising. They can lie, and it’s OK. I wrote to our representatives a number of years ago to work on getting this changed. But, as is the case with term limits, those who write the laws sadly do not want to be restrained by them. I think political ads are a waste of money and time. If candidates are not bound to speak only the truth, why pay attention to their ads?” — Judi Lover
“Political ads do not influence my decision for whom I’d vote. Regardless of party, their appeal is to emotionally manipulate the viewer. They are designed to get a reaction, and often to mislead the viewers with half-truths and deception. Like any advertisement, it exists to sell. So, personally, I mute the television when any ad is being aired, so they are never an influence. What influences me are publications like ‘The Atlantic’ and ‘The New Yorker,’ reputable magazines. ‘The New York Times’ for national coverage, ‘Haaretz’ for accurate Israeli news, and the local papers for the state news are necessary to understand what’s happening. Armed with the information they provide, I make my choices.” — Tim McGuckin
Related: Taxpayers spent $28 million on John Sununu’s family ski town
