(YouTube)
YouTube and the 2012
Virginia Senatorial Race
By: Christian Ruiz
Why YouTube?
 Free
 No time limit
 Much more detailed videos than on television
 Fast upload
 Generally aimed at supporters
 Do something beyond voting
(Moe)
 Young, educated, engaged population
 Provide opportunities to network and become involved
 Not only look for ways that the opponent is bad (Salmond 5)
The Candidates
George Allen (R)
Tim Kaine (D)
(Kaine1)
(Falkenstein)
What do the polls say?
 realclearpolitics.com:
 9/11/2012 – 9/26/2012
 Average of several polls:
 FOX News
 Rasmussen Reports
 Roanoke College
 Allen: 44.2%
 Kaine: 47.8%
 Up by 3.6%
(“Virginia Senate – Allen vs. Kaine.” )
(VC café poll)
Does YouTube have a role
in this lead?
YouTube Pages
Allen
Kaine
(GeorgeAllenVA’s channel
YouTube Pages
Allen
Kaine
(Tim Kaine)
Number of Videos Uploaded
Allen
Kaine
 111 videos
 98 videos
(YouTube)
Positive Ads
Allen
Kaine
 Envision
 Unleashed
 George Allen: Opportunity
 Best
 Dorothy - Foundation
 Our Best Days Are Still Ahead
Negative Ads
Allen
Kaine
 Unabashed
 Clock
 Accountable
 Priorities
 Going To Be Great?
 A Great Opportunity
Being Personal
Allen
 Rhonda
 Ask George Allen
 George Allen on “Cooking
with the Candidates”
 Tim Kaine’s video?
Kaine
 WRIC: Kaine Guest Coaches
University of Richmond
Women’s Basketball Team
 Tim Kaine Plays Harmonica
with the Tazewell County
Pickers
 TK4VA Bumper Sticker
Replay Positive News Footage
Allen
 Fox 5: George Allen Interview
 George Allen Joins Neil
Cavuto on Fox Business
 WCAV: George Allen Brings
“Send a Message” Tour to
Charlottesville
Kaine
 Gov. Kaine Meets with
Seniors in Falls Church
 WSLS: Bob Denton Says Gov.
Kaine “Prevailed” in VBA
Debate
 Gov. Kaine Volunteers at RAM
Clinic in Wise County, VA
Support from Wife
Allen
 Susan Allen
 NBC29: Susan Allen
Campaigns for George Allen
in Central Virginia
 Susan Allen Introduces Ann
Romney in Leesburg, Virginia
 WCAV: Susan Allen’s
Charlottesville Visit
Kaine
 Anne Holton
 Anne Holton Tours
Businesses in Downtown
Staunton
 ABC13: Anne Holton at
Opening of Virginia
Beach/Norfolk Office
Garnering Support
Allen
 GOTV Radio Ad: Send a
Message
 George Allen Thanks
“Ambassadors for Allen”
 Facebook and Twitter links
Kaine
 Tim Kaine’s Message from
Winchester
 A Message from Mike Henry
 50 Days Left
Speeches / Debates
Allen
 George Allen Speaks to the
7th District Convention
 George Allen Thanks
“Ambassadors for Allen”
 George Allen in Manassas
with Romney-Ryan 2012
Kaine
 Full VBA Debate
 2012 Democratic Convention
Speech (PBS NewsHour)
 Kaine Speech at Rally May
5th, 2012
Edited Videos
Allen
Kaine
 Fox 5: George Allen Interview
 WTVR: Analysis of the Fairfax
 http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=JyAIFCbBdtg&feature
=plcp
Chamber / NBC 4 Debate
 http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=qnTY8OaHcc&feature=plcp
Demographics: Women
Allen
 Dorothy – Foundation
 Kay
 Betsy
Kaine
 Gov. Kaine Talks with Military
Wives in Virginia Beach with
President Obama and Sen.
Mark Wagner
 CBS19: Gov. Kaine Discusses
Education, Balance with
Women in Charlottesville
 Clock
• History
• Women favor Democrats, men favor Republicans
• Bob Holsworth: this year: women are giving Democrats greater advantage
than men for Republicans (Przybyla)
Demographics: Hispanics
Allen
 WDBJ: Senator Marco Rubio
(FL) Endorses George Allen in
Arlington Today
 WUSA: Marco Rubio
Endorses George Allen
Kaine (speaks Spanish!)
 Gov. Kaine – Entrevista con
Armando Guzman en
Univisión
 Apoyar
 Latinos for Kaine
• History
• Latino voters: 2.2% electorate (VA)
• Allen voted against McCain-Kennedy immigration reform bill
• Kaine in favor of “common sense immigration solutions” (Le)
• Poll (June 2012): 53% VA Hispanics would support a Democrat in Senate vs.
32% for a Republican (Stein)
George Allen: Endorsements
 Rudy Giuliani Endorses George Allen
 Majority Leader Eric Cantor Endorses George Allen for U.S.
Senate – NBC Washington
 Congressman Robert Hurt Endorse George Allen for U.S.
Senate
Conclusion

Both replay positive ads, negative ads, positive news stories, stories of wife’s involvement,
speeches

Both get personal

Both play on history of party affiliation of demographics

George Allen’s advantage:


Endorsement videos
Tim Kaine’s advantage

Latino voters

Women

More access to getting involved

Not only videos, but history

Quality of YouTube use greater than quantity of videos posted
Works Cited
Contorno, Steve. “Kaine Targets Latinos in Virginia Senate Race.” Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2012. Web. 2 Oct. 2012.
Falkenstein, Ken. George Allen Thumbs-Up Pic. 11 May 2011. Bearing Drift: Virginia’s Conservative Voice. JPEG file.
GeorgeAllenVA’s channel. YouTube, 28 Sept. 2012. Web. 2 Oct. 2012.
Kaine1. 5 Apr. 2011. The Reid Report. JPEG file. 2 Oct. 2012.
Le, Van. “Senate Spotlights: Six Races to Watch for Immigration Reform Supporters.” Latino Vote Matters, 25 Sept. 2012. Web. 2 Oct.
2012.
Moe, John. “Candidates Use YouTube to Rally, Not Persuade.” Marketplace. American Public Media, 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.
Przybyla, Heidi. “Kaine-Allen Virginia Senate Race Mirrors Top of Ticket.” Businessweek, 1 Oct. 2012. Web. 2 Oct. 2012.
Salmond, Rob. “MeTube: Political Advertising, Election Campaigns, and YouTube.” The Center for Technology Innovation at
Brookings, 13 Mar. 2012. PDF file. 2 Oct. 2012.
Stein, Perry. “Morning Read: Virginia Senate Race Tied, Candidates Go After Hispanic Vote.” NBC Washington, 24 Aug. 2012. Web. 2
Oct. 2012.
Tim Kaine. YouTube, 1 Oct. 2012. Web. 2 Oct. 2012.
VC café poll. 12 Oct. 2010. VC Café. JPEG file. 2 Oct. 2012.
“Virginia Senate – Allen vs. Kaine.” RealClearPolitics. n.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.
YouTube. n.d. Socusoft, dvd-photo-slideshow.com. JPEG file. 2 Oct. 2012.