Problems with the Median Voter Theorem

In the Governor's race in Rhode Island the stakes have gotten high according to GoLocaProv. With just election day getting closer republican candidate Governor Allan Fung changed his position on minimum wage. Instead of viewing this in a positive light of a candidate mobilizing himself to reflect the views of the median voter, the democratic party sees it as a ploy to gain votes distrusting him to keep his word on the issue. Governor Fung was against raising the minimum wage during the republican primaries where that stance would capture the median voter, the switch cause increased distrust in the candidate instead of increase in votes. He could also run into hot water if his switch causes the far right republicans to abstain, without garnering the new moderate voters.

This seems to be why the median voter theorem does not always work in American politics. For one there is a negative connotation to changing stances. From the side they move away from, they lose votes from people abstaining, violating that assumption. Moving away from your base not only gains you votes, but can also lose you some. AS far as those votes that should be gained, they are hardly garnered because voters see it as a tactical move to gain voters with out any real change in the candidates values. They see the movement as a trick used to gain the vote without the determination to stick those stances after election day. This distrust on both sides eliminates mobility to a large degree for most candidates which is one of the main assumptions in the median voter theory. Because of this it is hard to find truly median candidates as they are often stuck with their principle of the median of their party.