Views of Campaigns: Present and Past

The public has long expressed the view that presidential campaigns are too long. In surveys conducted over the past three campaigns, asked at different stages in race, no fewer than 50% have said campaigns were too long.

Large majorities have consistently said that presidential campaigns are important. Currently, 79% say the presidential campaign is important; in June 2004, an identical percentage expressed this view. In February 2008, an even higher percentage (90%) said the presidential campaign was important.

The 2008 campaign was viewed more positively in several respects. In surveys conducted between February and October of that election year, majorities consistently said it was informative, compared with just 40% who say that about the 2012 campaign today. The share who described the 2012 campaign as interesting stood at 59% in June 2008 and rose to 71% by mid-October of that year. Just 34% see this year’s campaign as interesting.

But 2008 was the exception on many of these measures. Opinions about the 2012 presidential campaign today are fairly similar to the public’s views in June 2004. At that time, 79% said the campaign was important (the same percentage as today), 52% said it was too long (59% today) and just 33% said it was interesting (34% today).

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