--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no evidence that super PACs have…" description: "\"There is no evidence that super PACs have led to a greater percentage of negative ads.\" — Bradley A. Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/bradley-a-smith-29245_ads_there-is-no-evidence-that-super-pacs-hav_3067522.jpg" --- # There is no evidence that super PACs have led to a greater… ![“There is no evidence that super PACs have led to a greater percentage of negative ads.” quote by Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/bradley-a-smith-29245_ads_there-is-no-evidence-that-super-pacs-hav_3067522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/bradley-a-smith-29245_ads_there-is-no-evidence-that-super-pacs-hav_3067522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fc/bradley-a-smith-29245_ads_there-is-no-evidence-that-super-pacs-hav_3067522.jpg) > “There is no evidence that super PACs have led to a greater percentage of negative ads.” [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Super PACs have not been shown to increase negative advertising in proportion. **In simple terms:** No proof that super PACs cause more negative ads. Key Takeaway Question the impact of super PACs on ad tone. Themes politics campaign finance media Mood skeptical analytical Type informative critical When to use this quote - election strategy - media analysis - policy debate - public opinion research Key Concepts public perception regulation Questions to Reflect On - How do we measure ad negativity accurately? - What other factors drive negative ads? A Different Perspective Super PAC influence may be indirect or hidden. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I would do away with super PACs. I think it's a cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-conrad/i-would-do-away-with-super-pacs-i-think-it-s-a-cancer/) [Kent Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-conrad/) > [Super PACs and a corrupt campaign finance system are destroying American democracy. We're proud that we have received four million individual contributions, more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/super-pacs-and-a-corrupt-campaign-finance-system-are-destroying/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [To all the worryworts out there who said super PACs were going to lead to a cabal of billionaires secretly buying democracy: wrong! They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/to-all-the-worryworts-out-there-who-said-super-pacs-were-going-to/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [I think there's a lot of reasons for having an extended primary. I think super PACs play a role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-reasons-for-having-an-extended-primary-i/) [Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/) > [Incumbents don't like it, but political competition is a good thing. Incumbents usually outspend challengers by better than 3 to 1. Super PACs, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/incumbents-don-t-like-it-but-political-competition-is-a-good-thing/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [By law, super PACs are required to disclose their donors. There are groups that have never had to disclose their donors, non-profits such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/by-law-super-pacs-are-required-to-disclose-their-donors-there-are/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Few developments in campaigning have been as vilified and misunderstood as independent expenditure PACs, or, as they are colloquially known, super PACs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/few-developments-in-campaigning-have-been-as-vilified-and/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [With super PACs, we've seen voter turnout go up; interest in elections rise; and the number of competitive races increase. The campaigns of 2010…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/with-super-pacs-we-ve-seen-voter-turnout-go-up-interest-in-elections/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [I think that the best approach would be if the American people ever insist that we cut down on the massive amounts of money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/i-think-that-the-best-approach-would-be-if-the-american-people-ever/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [A lot of our Democratic consultants have fallen into the self-defeating prescription that the candidate that runs the most negative ads wins. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/a-lot-of-our-democratic-consultants-have-fallen-into-the-self/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [I liked writing the negative ads more than - because it's more minor chords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/i-liked-writing-the-negative-ads-more-than-because-it-s-more-minor/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [Hillary Clinton spent hundreds of millions of dollars on negative ads on me, many of which are absolutely untrue. They're untrue. And they're misrepresentations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-spent-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-on-negative-ads/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I don't think people in Hawaii like negative ads, whether it's done by an independent group or whether it's done by the campaign itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hanabusa/i-don-t-think-people-in-hawaii-like-negative-ads-whether-it-s-done-by/) [Colleen Hanabusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hanabusa/) > [No one's dropped a cent - there's no negative ads up against Donald Trump in Iowa which is crazy to think about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/no-one-s-dropped-a-cent-there-s-no-negative-ads-up-against-donald/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [There's a reason people run negative ads... it's because they work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-northup/there-s-a-reason-people-run-negative-ads-it-s-because-they-work/) [Anne Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-northup/) ## More by Bradley A. Smith > [With super PACs, we've seen voter turnout go up; interest in elections rise; and the number of competitive races increase. The campaigns of 2010…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/with-super-pacs-we-ve-seen-voter-turnout-go-up-interest-in-elections/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [The next time you download a book on Kindle, buy a Michael Moore screed at Barnes & Noble, or order up a political movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/the-next-time-you-download-a-book-on-kindle-buy-a-michael-moore/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Elections are a competition with only one winner. Giving more money to the opponent every time one speaks on behalf of a favored candidate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/elections-are-a-competition-with-only-one-winner-giving-more-money-to/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Few developments in campaigning have been as vilified and misunderstood as independent expenditure PACs, or, as they are colloquially known, super PACs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/few-developments-in-campaigning-have-been-as-vilified-and/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Tax rates should never be raised in some brackets without being raised in all brackets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/tax-rates-should-never-be-raised-in-some-brackets-without-being/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Americans may not always live up to the Bill of Rights, but Americans do not ban books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/americans-may-not-always-live-up-to-the-bill-of-rights-but-americans/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [By law, super PACs are required to disclose their donors. There are groups that have never had to disclose their donors, non-profits such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/by-law-super-pacs-are-required-to-disclose-their-donors-there-are/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [The DISCLOSE Act is a testament to the wisdom of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United. The First Amendment sought to place political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-a-smith/the-disclose-act-is-a-testament-to-the-wisdom-of-the-supreme-court-s/) [Bradley A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-a-smith/) > [Even leaving aside government policy, whole industries are already making expensive changes around the perceived need to 'go green.' 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He recorded 'Sing Me Softly of the Blues' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-bley/one-performer-whose-band-played-my-music-better-than-i-could-myself/) [Carla Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-bley/) > [What every human being should do is eat a vegetarian diet based on whole foods. Period. That's it. Animal protein is bad for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/what-every-human-being-should-do-is-eat-a-vegetarian-diet-based-on/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Donald Trump threatened to file a defamation suit against me for running a TV ad that consisted only entirely of his own words on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-threatened-to-file-a-defamation-suit-against-me-for/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [There is nothing personal about a personal ad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-smith/there-is-nothing-personal-about-a-personal-ad/) [Wes Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-smith/) > [Google has - at least at this point - maintained the line where it keeps organic results separate from the advertisements. 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