Ad-dressing the bench: the impact of interest group advertisements on partisan perceptions of Supreme Court confirmations

Abstract

This study evaluates the influence of partisan identity on individuals’ reactions to interest group advertisements about US Supreme Court nominees. Using a survey experiment, we expose partisan respondents to authentic interest group advertisements strategically crafted to sway public opinion on the nominations of Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson to the US Supreme Court. With advertisements from both co-partisan and out-partisan groups, we investigate how exposure to interest group advertisements shape a partisan’s stance toward each nominee. Our analysis focuses on messages that either align with or challenge a respondent’s existing partisan beliefs, aiming to further understand the interplay between exposure to political advertising, the strength of partisan identity, and attitudes about Supreme Court nominees. In addition, we explore the differences in how Democrats and Republicans respond specifically to these advertisements.