When they heard public figures articulating feelings they shared, perhaps some racially conservative Americans abandoned the old rules themselves. A series of recent surveys suggests that racially conservative Americans are open to explicit conversations about race. Bush among racially conservative white Americans initially, but by the election eight weeks later, the spot had no measurable effect in the surveys. When asked about the Affordable Care Act, they were no more likely than racially conservative participants who had read the coded article to say they supported the policy. It is also important to note that Valentino's study focuses on reactions among people who have racially conservative views, not the electorate as a whole.

Source: Washington Post June 17, 2016 11:05 UTC