Framing the fight - An analysis of media coverage of female and male candidates in primary races for governor and US Senate in 2000

The few research studies that explore the media's portrayal of female candi dates in comparison to male candidates have been limited to general electio n campaigns and usually to one level of office. To expand this area of rese arch, this study examines the media's portrayal of female and male candidat es in primary races at two levels of political leadership in which the repr esentation of women is strikingly low-state governor and U.S. senator-in th e 2000 campaign. This study's exploration of how the media portrays female and male candidates relies on a content analysis of articles from major nat ional newspapers and representative major regional newspapers. By studying the media's portrayal of male and female candidates during primary election s at two levels of political leadership, this study provides an understandi ng about how men and women are framed differently even when vying for their own parry's bid and. thus, new insights into how such primary framing can translate into bias during the general elections.