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3 - Did Fox News Influence Decisions to Run for Congress?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2025

Kevin Arceneaux ,
Johanna Dunaway ,
Martin Johnson  and
Ryan J. Vander Wielen
Kevin Arceneaux
Affiliation:
Sciences Po, Paris
Johanna Dunaway
Affiliation:
Syracuse University
Martin Johnson
Affiliation:
Louisiana State University
Ryan J. Vander Wielen
Affiliation:
State University of New York, Stony Brook
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Summary

In this chapter, we investigate whether Fox News’ presence in districts shaped the competitive electoral landscape by influencing potential candidates’ perceptions about the partisan make-up of the constituency in the district and shaping their perceived chances of winning or losing. Specifically, in this chapter, we test whether the entry of Fox News created the perception of a rightward shift in district party composition among potential Republican candidates considering a run in the district. We find that in districts with more Fox News availability, high-quality potential Republican candidates were more likely to challenge Democratic incumbents, especially if the districts were closely competitive.

Keywords

Political ambitionstrategic entrycongressional electionschallengerincumbentdistrict composition
Type
Chapter
Information
The House that Fox News Built?
Representation, Political Accountability, and the Rise of Partisan News
 , pp. 42 - 66
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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