Wisconsin’s highly contested race for governor in 2010 could have candidates trying to reach voters in whatever ways they can think of. Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign says that will likely result in more online advertising, as candidates try to take advantage of a growth industry.
Some candidates are already turning to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to reach supporters. McCabe expects to see a much larger presence online heading into the primary season, much greater than what’s been seen in recent years.
Still, he says the medium is in its infancy in terms of effective political communication. So, it could be several years before it’s used in ways similar as television.
McCabe says established forms of advertising are likely to remain the major focus though, such as radio and direct mailings. And of course, he says TV will likely remain the major focus of campaign advertising dollars.