The Electoral Connection

Above is just one of many artsy graphics of a John Yarmuth quote.  Though it's not necessarily an activity taken by him or his office in an effort toward reelection, I decided to include it because I think it's very indicative of the image he projects.  I wouldn't make an artsy nonpolitical graphic of a Donald Trump quote or a Bernie Sanders quote, but I would make one for John Yarmuth.  Yarmuth, through his actions to in an effort to get reelected, presents himself as an incredibly stable part of the political system, someone issue and people focused, who flies below the radar but plays an indispensable role.

So, how exactly does John Yarmuth project this image and participate in Mayhew's framework?


John Yarmuth showcases a fair amount of advertising on his Twitter account.

Pictured above is a prime example.  The most recent tweet on Representative Yarmuth's Twitter account is a quoted tweet of high-schoolers thanking Yarmuth for meeting with them, he thanks the high-schoolers and tops it off with a #GoRockets, the high-school's mascot.  This tweet doesn't advance a policy agenda, establish a position or claim credit for a legislative win.  This tweet simply shows Yarmuth interacting with the people of his district, showcases him in a good light, and advances name recognition in his district. 

Representative Yarmuth engages in a lot of position taking through press engagement, one instance of this occurred on the 28th of February of this year.   On the issue of universal health care the Dallas Star Telegram reports: “…he is skeptical of plans such as those proposed by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind.-Vermont. Sanders wants universal health care on demand with no consumer contribution and no role for private insurance companies.  “I’m not sure anybody thinks that can be done,” Yarmuth said.”  Yarmuth is moving toward a more moderate position, stating: “What we’re going to try to do is provide information for the public as a backdrop for the debate as to what the financial implications are,” Yarmuth said. “We want to pose the question: ‘Can the country afford it?’"  In these quotes Yarmuth casts a judgement on a prominent political issue and also throws his weight around as the Chair of the House Budget Committee.  This statement has the potential to impact legislative negotiations and, depending on how the healthcare issue turns out, if Yarmuth is right, it's an example of him demonstrating levelheadedness as a Committee Chair and he'll be able to point constituents toward it in the future.


Yarmuth participates in credit claiming on his campaign website.  The first statement under the issues tab in the section titled 'Education and Workforce' claims that "Since his first days in Washington, Congressman Yarmuth has fought hard to expand economic opportunities so that all Louisville families have a chance to achieve the American Dream."  Right away, Yarmuth's site sets the stage for twelve year's worth of credit claiming examples.  Just one demonstration of this follow through from his veterans section: "Congressman Yarmuth helped pass the largest increase in veterans' health care funding in American history and secured $75 million for the construction of a new VA Hospital in Louisville. He was a strong supporter of the post 9/11 G.I. Bill, which has significantly increased educational benefits for recently returned veterans, and he will continue to work to ensure that our veterans have all the resources they need to build a strong and successful future."  Here Yarmuth takes credit for legislative accomplishments and shows how he participated in the process of making life better for veterans.