DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN THE 2010S: A STUDY ON POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN US POLITICS

The presidential elections in the United States of America (USA), which has a long-established tradition of democracy, are an important platform where voters can express both their established/embedded values and their perspectives on current issues. The Republican Party and the Democratic Party, which have different traditions, values and political attitudes, are prominent institutional actors in the country’s political history. This study aimed to understand the key determinants of the US elections in the 2010s and the political communication strategies developed by the actors in response to these determinants. Although the study did not systematically adhere to a single research method, it could be categorised as qualitative research using content and discourse analysis techniques. The study focused on how candidate image and the parties’ different approaches to issues related to the economy and conservative values affected political communication strategies and voter preferences in the elections held in the 2010s. According to the results of the study, the image of the presidential candidate was the most important determinant of voter preferences in the US elections. In other words, it was determined that the winners of the US presidential elections were candidates, not political parties. Therefore, political communication campaigns were designed in a leader-oriented way. In addition, economic issues remained important in US politics, especially in the election cycles of the 2010s. The Democrats, who placed economic issues at the centre of their campaign