Extremely High Quality?

Abstract

Abstract Though extremism generally carries a negative connotation, ideological extremity can also send positive signals about a candidate’s personal characteristics. Data from the 2010 US House elections show that among a candidate’s copartisans, ideological extremity is associated with higher ratings of his or her competence and integrity. These findings hold even when accounting for distance from the respondent, distance from the district, and party unity. In addition, experimental evidence that better speaks to the causal relationship between ideology and quality shows that these results generalize beyond the 2010 contest. Overall, these findings add to understanding of how individuals form impressions of candidate traits and speak to continued extremity at the elite level, as they suggest that voters may still find value in positions even if they do not match their own.