"Here Comes Martha." Anyone who watched local television during the last election cycle knew the phrase, the red RV, and circus music associated with Martha Fuller Clark's campaign for New Hampshire's first congressional district.

The GOP ad favoring opponent Jeb Bradley (the eventual winner) and taking a stab at the liberal democrat was just one of the various media examined by politics professors Paul Christopher Manuel and Dante Scala. Their research, conducted through the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, included analysis of newspaper coverage, advertisements, direct mail, and Web sites. It was also part of a national effort by the Pew Charitable Trusts to study campaign conduct and restore voter confidence.

"The concern is that one factor driving political apathy is poor campaigning—negative ads, mudslinging, and emphasis on the horse race (public opinion polls) rather than substantive issues. Savvy voters want good information on which they can base their decisions," said Professor Manuel, who also serves as director of the Research Center at the NHIOP. "We were looking to assess the quantity and quality of information available to New Hampshire's first district voters."

New Hampshire's race was one of 20 congressional districts chosen as a case study to determine the overall quality of campaigns in competitive districts around the country. Pew's full report will be released in April.