This study in contemporary campaign communications concentrates on a state-level legislative election in a western state. The candidate selected for analysis (anonymous) expressed his views on the campaign issues and the message he thought he was sending to voters. Voters were sampled to determine the issue- and non-issue-related messages that they received and interpreted from various media. Personal face-to-face campaigning was found to be most effective, with television messages second. A discrepancy between the ideas the candidate thought he was sending to voters and the qualities of the ideas actually perceived by the voters was also found. (CH)