Part(y) of Speech: Partisan Divides in Stylistic Framing

Research investigating the use of framing in political texts shows that politicians frame issues and themselves differentially based on social identities and other, external, factors. However, this literature focuses almost exclusively on what words are said (i.e., the content), with minimal attention being paid to how they are said (i.e., the style). This pre-registered study uses text annotation methods and an original collection of senate press releases to demonstrate that politicians also engage in stylistic framing. Like content frames, the use of style frames differs by partisanship in a manner consistent with party principles. Republican press releases are more likely to focus on the past and draw attention to individuals. Releases from Democratic senators, on the other hand, are more likely to discuss the future and focus on groups.