It looks like Rush Limbaugh did us a huge favor by mocking Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s disease. No, not because it made people hate Rush Limbaugh, but because it caused the media to play the ad over and over again…for free. A study by HCD Research and Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion (MCIPO) found that support for Democrats boomed after watching Fox’s advertisement.
One key finding:
Respondents were asked to indicate what candidate they would vote for in the U.S. House of Representatives election if it was held today before and after viewing the ad.
Republicans who indicated that they were voting for a Republican candidate decreased by 10% after viewing the ad (77% to 67%). Independents planning to vote for Democrats increased by 10%, from 39% to 49%.
Sounds to me like this ad is particularly effective. Another interesting statistic is the level of support for stem-cell research from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.
Among all respondents, support for stem cell research increased from 78% prior to viewing the ad, to 83% after viewing the ad. Support among Democrats increased from 89% to 93%, support among Republicans increased from 66% to 68% and support among Independents increased from 80% to 87% after viewing the ad.
That’s a very high level of support for stem-cell research (even before watching the ad). Seems to me like we should be running these commercials anywhere the Republican is an opponent of funding the research. Of course, that’s exactly what happens when the cable news companies run the ads. Thanks Rush.
