Partisans or independents? Evidence for campaign targets from elite interviews in Spain

The study of campaigns has generally focused on a search for effects at the mass level, but little research has explored the behavior of those who actually attempt to influence voters. This essay reports findings from interviews carried out with elites in Spain, an institutionally and culturally diverse country that offers a unique environment for looking at party strategies. Three important findings emerge from the interviews: (1) all campaigns rely on a combination of mobilizing partisans and chasing after non-aligned voters; (2) when appealing to voters, parties prefer to emphasize their advantaged issues; and (3) Spanish elites question the existence of an ideological center. Together these points lend support to issue ownership or saliency theories of campaigns.