Issue ownership is important to understand when discussing party competition and voting. If a party is seen as ‘owning’ an issue, they are seen as the best at handling and delegating that issue. Therefore, parties can win elections by promoting issues voters believe they handle better. Issues that are ‘owned’ can range from civil rights to tax simplification. Which party gets deemed as a better fit for certain issues has a lot to do with how they have handled the issue in the past, party stereotypes, and factors outside of the party’s control like the general political climate.
A study published in 2017 that remains relevant today shows which issues ‘belong’ to which party. Republicans are seen at handling issues like the national security, the military, terrorism, immigration, and gun policy. Democrats are seen at handling healthcare, racial justice, unemployment, education and decreasing the power of large corporations better than Republicans. Issues voters are on the fence about are the economy, foreign trade, and tax policy.
Party composition has a lot to do with issues parties campaign on. Democrats are seen better at handling civil rights and social justice as a large party of the party is Asian American, Hispanic, and African America. Democrats are also seen at handling the environment better as more Democrats hold university degrees. They are also seen at handling abortion better as they have more female voters.
This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.
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