Negative Campaigning: Countermove Strategy

In this paper we study motivation of candidates to lead positive or negative campaign in the model of two-round election system and the strategy of the counter-attacking in particular. In the considered model two candidates compete in primary elections, and each of them has three strategies: lead a positive campaign, a negative campaign against the opponent in primary elections and a negative campaign against the incumbent. Winner of the primary elections participate in general elections. As a result, we get that the candidate prefers to lead a positive campaign in event of a high degree of information transfer between primary and general elections and relatively low efficiency of negative campaigning. Another result of the model – negative campaigning against the incumbent (i.e. not a direct rival in the primaries) during primary elections can increase candidate’s chance of winning both primary and general elections.