The Unconventional Candidate: Agenda-Setting in Small-Town Politics

<p>In the modern political climate, the intersectionality between race, party affiliation, and ideology makes for an interesting case study in the power of media and agenda-setting. This professional project employed a mixed-methods approach, combining content creation with quantitative social media analysis and qualitative case study examination. The research focused on Caymen Watts' 2025 mayoral campaign in Columbia, Mississippi, specifically examining how agenda-setting theory manifested through digital media engagement. During the length of the campaign, I was the social media manager for the Watts Team. As a direct component of the electoral process, I saw firsthand how agenda-setting worked in real time. The study period spanned from February 9, 2025, through April 1, 2025, coinciding with the official campaign cycle leading up to the mayoral election. The results of this study found that while the Watts campaign was successful in using social media to bridge the gap between potential younger voters in the community. However, the overarching power of traditional media outlets still holds a significant sway over the ideologies and opinions of a small town like Columbia.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Fields, Jessica E

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Lindsey Maxwell
• Dr. David Davies
• Dr. Fei Xue

• agenda setting theory
• small town politics
• political communication
• media communication
• political science
• reverse agenda setting

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1149

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-2269