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On Wednesday, Akin noticed an announcement by Nova Scotia MP and cabinet minister Bernadette Jordan.

A comprehensive study by Joshua Kalla of the University of Berkeley and David Broockman of the Stanford Graduate School of Business found that advertising actually has no effect on voters at all

“Now she’s going to be in trouble in her riding. That’s South Shore — St. Margarets. That’s a riding that is likely to move from Liberal, possibly, to Conservative and she’s going to have to fight it out,” said Akin, in an interview with the Post. “And today of all days, she’s got $25 million to build a highway overpass on Highway 103. And she’s had a couple of those. And you kind of go, oh, that just magically happened to get approved and done a week before the campaign? I’m a little cynical.”

There’s no question that politicians of all stripes believe this kind of funding and the media coverage it attracts can win over voters for the governing party but, surprisingly, there’s very little research backing that up.

In fact, a comprehensive study by Joshua Kalla of the University of Berkeley and David Broockman of the Stanford Graduate School of Business found that advertising actually has no effect on voters at all.

“We argue that the best estimate of the effects of campaign contact and advertising on Americans’ candidates choices in general election is zero,” the paper reads. “Our best guess for online and television advertising is also zero, but there is less evidence on these modes.”

If direct advertising doesn’t work, then sparsely-attended media appearances that don’t even mention the Liberal Party may be even less effective. It could be that Liberal MPs and cabinet ministers are frantically jet-setting around the country writing billions of dollars worth of cheques for almost no tangible electoral gain.