Final answer:
The elaboration likelihood model of persuasion explains how a candidate's success depends on connecting with voters' preexisting feelings. It involves the central and peripheral routes of delivering a persuasive message.
Step-by-step explanation:
The elaboration likelihood model of persuasion explains that a candidate's success depends, in part, on how well their basic message connects with voters' preexisting feelings. According to this model, there are two main routes that play a role in delivering a persuasive message: central and peripheral. The central route focuses on the content and merits of the message, while the peripheral route appeals to feelings rather than discussing the idea or proposal directly. When targeting their message, the campaign needs to determine the issues that potential supporters find most salient. This information is used to construct a campaign message that can be converted into brief, easy-to-understand sound bites. It is important for the candidate to avoid speaking only to those who have already decided to support them and instead reach out to voters who may be influenced to vote for them. This includes targeting swing states or districts that have not yet exhibited solid support for either candidate.