Different Party, Different Tactic

FundRaising Success: Do potential political donors respond better to mail with a negative spin (bashing the opponent) or a positive one (celebrating the candidate)?
Hal Malchow: It varies by party. Mail for Republican candidates and Republican Party mail tends to be negative. I have almost never seen a reply card in a Republican mailing without the word “liberal Democrats.” On the whole, positive mail performs better for Democrats. There are exceptions. During the 2004 presidential elections, a very negative mailing about George W. Bush was the top performer of the year. But, generally, Democratic donors respond better to positive messaging.