Scott Walker Dominates 2011 Media Coverage of Gubernatorial Politics
Wisconsin governor has been mentioned in 26 percent of cable TV gubernatorial news stories in 2011 – more than 42 other governors combined
The theater unfolding for more than two weeks in Wisconsin has not only elevated the issue of unions and collective bargaining rights to the forefront of the national political discourse, it has also introduced the country to the play’s central character – first term Republican Governor Scott Walker.
Few governors have made such a swift and grand entrance onto the main stage as has Walker in his debut this year.
And how much has Walker saturated the national news?
A Smart Politics analysis of CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC transcripts from January 1st through March 1st of this year finds that Governor Walker was mentioned in more than 25 percent of newscasts on gubernatorial politics during this two-month period – more than 42 other governors combined.
Governor Walker was also covered more frequently than any of his colleagues around the country in the nation’s major newspapers and wire services. A review of gubernatorial news stories in the New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today and wire service reports by the Associated Press and UPI found Walker led gubernatorial coverage with over 15 percent – 44 percent more than his nearest competitor.
Although the period under investigation covers two full months, nearly all mentions of Walker have taken place since February 16th.
More than 91 percent of cable television newscasts mentioning Walker have occurred during the last two weeks (272 of 297 reports) as well as more than 85 percent of print and wire reports (170 of 199).
Prior to assuming office in 2011, Walker had only been mentioned in 23 cable TV reports.
Walker’s surge in media attention on cable TV has now put him well ahead for the year to date of governors who are potential (or simply rumored) Republican presidential candidates, such as Chris Christie of New Jersey at #2 (mentioned in 168 reports, 14.7 percent), Mitch Daniels of Indiana at #3 (94, 8.2 percent), Haley Barbour of Mississippi at #5 (68, 5.9 percent), and Rick Perry of Texas at #10 (21, 1.8 percent).
Rounding out the Top 10 are Jan Brewer of Arizona at #4 (79 reports, 6.9 percent), John Kasich of Ohio at #6 (66, 5.8 percent), Jerry Brown of California at #7 (65, 5.7 percent), Rick Scott of Florida at #8 (59, 5.1 percent), and Andrew Cuomo of New York at #9 (40, 3.5 percent).
Walker has so dominated the landscape of cable television gubernatorial media reporting that his coverage in 199 reports is greater than the total of 42 other governors combined:
Andrew Cuomo (NY), Rick Perry (TX), Martin O’Malley (MD), Pat Quinn (IL), Nikki Haley (SC), Bob McDonnell (VA), Robert Bentley (AL), Paul Le Page (ME), Bobby Jindal (LA), Rick Snyder (MI), Mark Dayton (MN), Jay Nixon (MO), Terry Branstad (IA), Brian Sandoval (NV), Sean Parnell (AK), Dan Malloy (CT), Deval Patrick (MA), Brian Schweitzer (MT), Susana Martinez (NM), Mary Fallin (OK), Dave Heineman (NE), Tom Corbett (PA), Gary Herbert (UT), Matt Mead (WY), Nathan Deal (GA), Neil Abercrombie (HI), Sam Brownback (KS), Steve Beshear (KY), Lincoln Chafee (RI), Bill Haslam (TN), John Hickenlooper (CO), Butch Otter (ID), John Lynch (NH), Jack Dalrymple (ND), Mike Beebe (AR), Jack Markell (DE), Beverly Perdue (NC), John Kitzhaber (OR), Dennis Daugaard (SD), Peter Shumlin (VT), Christine Gregoire (WA), and Earl Ray Tomblin (WV).
These 42 governors were mentioned in 250 reports – 47 less than Walker.
Cable TV Gubernatorial News Coverage by Governor, 2011
|
Rank
|
Governor
|
State
|
Party
|
Total
|
%
|
|
1
|
Scott Walker
|
WI
|
GOP
|
297
|
25.9
|
|
2
|
Chris Christie
|
NJ
|
GOP
|
168
|
14.7
|
|
3
|
Mitch Daniels
|
IN
|
GOP
|
94
|
8.2
|
|
4
|
Jan Brewer
|
AZ
|
GOP
|
79
|
6.9
|
|
5
|
Haley Barbour
|
MS
|
GOP
|
68
|
5.9
|
|
6
|
John Kasich
|
OH
|
GOP
|
66
|
5.8
|
|
7
|
Jerry Brown
|
CA
|
Dem
|
65
|
5.7
|
|
8
|
Rick Scott
|
FL
|
GOP
|
59
|
5.1
|
|
9
|
Andrew Cuomo
|
NY
|
Dem
|
40
|
3.5
|
|
10
|
Rick Perry
|
TX
|
GOP
|
21
|
1.8
|
|
11
|
Martin O’Malley
|
MD
|
Dem
|
17
|
1.5
|
|
12
|
Pat Quinn
|
IL
|
Dem
|
15
|
1.3
|
|
12
|
Nikki Haley
|
SC
|
GOP
|
15
|
1.3
|
|
12
|
Bob McDonnell
|
VA
|
GOP
|
15
|
1.3
|
|
15
|
Robert Bentley
|
AL
|
GOP
|
11
|
1.0
|
|
15
|
Paul LePage
|
ME
|
GOP
|
11
|
1.0
|
|
17
|
Bobby Jindal
|
LA
|
GOP
|
8
|
0.7
|
|
17
|
Rick Snyder
|
MI
|
GOP
|
8
|
0.7
|
|
17
|
Mark Dayton
|
MN
|
DFL
|
8
|
0.7
|
|
20
|
Jay Nixon
|
MO
|
Dem
|
7
|
0.6
|
|
21
|
Terry Branstad
|
IA
|
GOP
|
6
|
0.5
|
|
21
|
Brian Sandoval
|
NV
|
GOP
|
6
|
0.5
|
|
23
|
Sean Parnell
|
AK
|
GOP
|
5
|
0.4
|
|
23
|
Dan Malloy
|
CT
|
Dem
|
5
|
0.4
|
|
23
|
Deval Patrick
|
MA
|
Dem
|
5
|
0.4
|
|
23
|
Brian Schweitzer
|
MT
|
Dem
|
5
|
0.4
|
|
23
|
Susana Martinez
|
NM
|
GOP
|
5
|
0.4
|
|
23
|
Mary Fallin
|
OK
|
GOP
|
5
|
0.4
|
|
29
|
Dave Heineman
|
NE
|
GOP
|
4
|
0.3
|
|
29
|
Tom Corbett
|
PA
|
GOP
|
4
|
0.3
|
|
29
|
Gary Herbert
|
UT
|
GOP
|
4
|
0.3
|
|
29
|
Matt Mead
|
WY
|
GOP
|
4
|
0.3
|
|
33
|
Nathan Deal
|
GA
|
GOP
|
2
|
0.2
|
|
33
|
Neil Abercrombie
|
HA
|
Dem
|
2
|
0.2
|
|
33
|
Sam Brownback
|
KS
|
GOP
|
2
|
0.2
|
|
33
|
Steve Beshear
|
KY
|
Dem
|
2
|
0.2
|
|
33
|
Lincoln Chafee
|
RI
|
Ind.
|
2
|
0.2
|
|
33
|
Bill Haslam
|
TN
|
GOP
|
2
|
0.2
|
|
39
|
John Hickenlooper
|
CO
|
Dem
|
1
|
0.1
|
|
39
|
Butch Otter
|
ID
|
GOP
|
1
|
0.1
|
|
39
|
John Lynch
|
NH
|
Dem
|
1
|
0.1
|
|
39
|
Jack Dalrymple
|
ND
|
GOP
|
1
|
0.1
|
|
43
|
Mike Beebe
|
AR
|
Dem
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
43
|
Jack Markell
|
DE
|
Dem
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
43
|
Beverly Perdue
|
NC
|
Dem
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
43
|
John Kitzhaber
|
OR
|
Dem
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
43
|
Dennis Daugaard
|
SD
|
GOP
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
43
|
Peter Shumlin
|
VT
|
Dem
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
43
|
Christine Gregoire
|
WA
|
Dem
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
43
|
Earl Ray Tomblin
|
WV
|
Dem
|
0
|
0.0
|
Table denotes number of news stories with mentions of current governors by party. Data compiled by Smart Politics from Lexis-Nexis cable television news transcript searches of CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC from January 1, 2011 through March 1, 2011.
Overall, Republicans hold 29 of the 50 governorships across the country, or 58 percent, while Democrats hold 20 (40 percent), and independents hold one (Rhode Island, 2 percent).
Republican governors, however, held the Top 6, and 8 of the Top 10 spots in cable TV news coverage so far this year.
In total, Republican governors have been mentioned in 85 percent of CNN, FOX, and MSNBC gubernatorial news reports, compared to just 15 percent for Democrats, or more than a 5:1 ratio.
However, while newscasts on GOP executives were disproportionately high overall, the differences were slight between the three main cable news networks.
Republican governors were mentioned in 90 percent of MSNBC’s news stories on gubernatorial politics, compared to 85 percent for FOX, and 82 percent for CNN.
Gubernatorial News Coverage by Party by Cable TV Network, 2011
|
Party
|
CNN
|
FOX
|
MSNBC
|
Total
|
|
Republican
|
427
|
301
|
243
|
971
|
|
Democrat
|
94
|
52
|
27
|
173
|
|
Independent
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
|
Total
|
522
|
354
|
270
|
1,146
|
|
% Republican
|
81.8
|
85.0
|
90.0
|
84.7
|
Table denotes number of news stories with mentions of current governors. Data compiled by Smart Politics from Lexis-Nexis cable television news transcript searches of CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC from January 1, 2011 through March 1, 2011.
Print and Wire Service Reports
Walker also rules the roost on the print and wire service front in 2011, despite a homefield advantage by Andrew Cuomo and, to some extent, Chris Christie (in the New York Times) and Martin O’Malley (in the Washington Post).
Walker has been mentioned in 199 stories in the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Associated Press, and UPI during the first two months of this year – more than 60 stories higher than Cuomo, who came in at #2 (138 stories), and more than 70 stories higher than Christie at #3 (127). (Cuomo was covered in 100 stories in the Times with Christie at 57).
Rounding out the Top 10 are California’s Jerry Brown at #4 (89 stories), Mississippi’s Haley Barbour at #5 (80), Indiana’s Mitch Daniels at #6 (74), Maryland’s O’Malley at #7 (60), Texas’ Rick Perry at #8 (59), Florida’s Rick Scott at #9 (46), and Illinois’ Pat Quinn at #10 (43).
Walker is the aberration in the bunch as the only governor in the Top 10 who is not a rumored GOP presidential candidate (Barbour, Daniels, Perry, Christie), governing one of the five most populous states in the nation (Cuomo, Brown, Perry, Scott, Quinn), or governing a state that is captured by the local media coverage of one of these national print publications (Cuomo, Christie, O’Malley).
Print and wire coverage was much closer in proportion to the partisan breakdown of governors in office across the country than on cable TV: 65 percent for Republican governors and 34 percent for Democratic governors.
Major Newspaper and Wire Service Gubernatorial News Coverage by Governor, 2011
|
Rank
|
Governor
|
State
|
Party
|
Total
|
%
|
|
1
|
Scott Walker
|
WI
|
GOP
|
199
|
15.1
|
|
2
|
Andrew Cuomo*
|
NY
|
Dem
|
138
|
10.5
|
|
3
|
Chris Christie*
|
NJ
|
GOP
|
127
|
9.7
|
|
4
|
Jerry Brown
|
CA
|
Dem
|
89
|
6.8
|
|
5
|
Haley Barbour
|
MS
|
GOP
|
80
|
6.1
|
|
6
|
Mitch Daniels
|
IN
|
GOP
|
74
|
5.6
|
|
7
|
Martin O’Malley**
|
MD
|
Dem
|
60
|
4.6
|
|
8
|
Rick Perry
|
TX
|
GOP
|
59
|
4.5
|
|
9
|
Rick Scott
|
FL
|
GOP
|
46
|
3.5
|
|
10
|
Pat Quinn
|
IL
|
Dem
|
43
|
3.3
|
|
11
|
Jan Brewer
|
AZ
|
GOP
|
42
|
3.2
|
|
12
|
John Kasich
|
OH
|
GOP
|
40
|
3.0
|
|
13
|
Rick Snyder
|
MI
|
GOP
|
19
|
1.4
|
|
14
|
Tom Corbett
|
PA
|
GOP
|
18
|
1.4
|
|
15
|
Bob McDonnell
|
VA
|
GOP
|
16
|
1.2
|
|
15
|
Deval Patrick
|
MA
|
Dem
|
16
|
1.2
|
|
17
|
Nathan Deal
|
GA
|
GOP
|
15
|
1.1
|
|
17
|
Paul LePage
|
ME
|
GOP
|
15
|
1.1
|
|
19
|
Sam Brownback
|
KS
|
GOP
|
14
|
1.1
|
|
19
|
Nikki Haley
|
SC
|
GOP
|
14
|
1.1
|
|
21
|
Mark Dayton
|
MN
|
DFL
|
13
|
1.0
|
|
21
|
Brian Schweitzer
|
MT
|
Dem
|
13
|
1.0
|
|
23
|
Christine Gregoire
|
WA
|
Dem
|
12
|
0.9
|
|
24
|
Robert Bentley
|
AL
|
GOP
|
11
|
0.8
|
|
24
|
Susana Martinez
|
NM
|
GOP
|
11
|
0.8
|
|
26
|
Neil Abercrombie
|
HA
|
Dem
|
10
|
0.8
|
|
26
|
Sean Parnell
|
AK
|
GOP
|
10
|
0.8
|
|
28
|
Terry Branstad
|
IA
|
GOP
|
9
|
0.7
|
|
28
|
Brian Sandoval
|
NV
|
GOP
|
9
|
0.7
|
|
28
|
Mary Fallin
|
OK
|
GOP
|
9
|
0.7
|
|
28
|
Jay Nixon
|
MO
|
Dem
|
9
|
0.7
|
|
32
|
Mike Beebe
|
AR
|
Dem
|
8
|
0.6
|
|
33
|
John Hickenlooper
|
CO
|
Dem
|
7
|
0.5
|
|
33
|
Dan Malloy
|
CT
|
Dem
|
7
|
0.5
|
|
33
|
John Kitzhaber
|
OR
|
Dem
|
7
|
0.5
|
|
33
|
Lincoln Chafee
|
RI
|
Ind.
|
7
|
0.5
|
|
37
|
Peter Shumlin
|
VT
|
Dem
|
6
|
0.5
|
|
38
|
Bobby Jindal
|
LA
|
GOP
|
5
|
0.4
|
|
38
|
Dave Heineman
|
NE
|
GOP
|
5
|
0.4
|
|
40
|
Earl Ray Tomblin
|
WV
|
Dem
|
4
|
0.3
|
|
41
|
Bill Haslam
|
TN
|
GOP
|
3
|
0.2
|
|
41
|
Matt Mead
|
WY
|
GOP
|
3
|
0.2
|
|
41
|
Butch Otter
|
ID
|
GOP
|
3
|
0.2
|
|
41
|
John Lynch
|
NH
|
Dem
|
3
|
0.2
|
|
45
|
Jack Dalrymple
|
ND
|
GOP
|
2
|
0.2
|
|
45
|
Steve Beshear
|
KY
|
Dem
|
2
|
0.2
|
|
47
|
Dennis Daugaard
|
SD
|
GOP
|
1
|
0.1
|
|
47
|
Beverly Perdue
|
NC
|
Dem
|
1
|
0.1
|
|
47
|
Gary Herbert
|
UT
|
GOP
|
1
|
0.1
|
|
50
|
Jack Markell
|
DE
|
Dem
|
0
|
0.0
|
Table denotes number of news stories with mentions of each governor, and percentage overall. Data compiled by Smart Politics from Lexis-Nexis print and wire service news report searches of the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Associated Press, and UPI from January 1, 2011 through March 1, 2011. Associated Press coverage excludes Associated Press State and Local wire reports. * New York and New Jersey gubernatorial coverage partially inflated due to inclusion of New York Times as media source. ** Maryland gubernatorial coverage inflated due to inclusion of Washington Post.
With the situation in Madison still playing out, Walker will likely pad his media numbers for the days (or weeks) to come.
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