Dive Brief:
- Student loans have become a hot-button issue that Democratic candidates are using in Congressional races this fall.
- In some races, Democratic candidates are tying their opponents to Rep. Paul Ryan’s proposed student aid cuts, or Republican and Tea Party proposals to close down the U.S. Department of Education, Inside Higher Ed reports.
- According to an analysis of campaign ads for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in recent weeks, education was the fourth-most mentioned issue in pro-Democrat ads, and not in the top 12 for pro-Republican ads.
Dive Insight:
According to the Wesleyan Media Project analysis, which doesn’t distinguish between higher education and K-12 issues, education was the No. 1 issue mentioned in Democratic ads in North Carolina and South Dakota U.S. Senate races. Last month, several Democratic candidates touted their support for student loan refinancing proposals. Attack ads against Republicans on higher ed issues have appeared in California, Iowa, North Carolina, and Georgia, and Democratic candidates in Illinois, Oregon, and Colorado have focused in on higher ed issues.