CATEGORIES
CATEGORIES
Every candidate in Pixel Primaries is graded in eight categories, each of which
aligns with an issue that voters are concerned with. Those categories are as
follows:
Economy & Jobs
Immigration & Border Security
Healthcare & Reproductive Freedom
Climate & Environment
Gun Control & Public Safety
Foreign Policy & National Security
Education & Student Debt
Bipartisanship & Governance
These categories are distillations of the categories used by Congress to sort bills. They cover the biggest issues in the 2024 election cycle, though they are subject to change in later cycles. For example, as Artificial Intelligence becomes increasingly sophisticated and commonplace, it may warrant its own category.
Every candidate in Pixel Primaries is graded in eight categories, each of which
aligns with an issue that voters are concerned with. Those categories are as
follows:
Economy & Jobs
Immigration & Border Security
Healthcare & Reproductive Freedom
Climate & Environment
Gun Control & Public Safety
Foreign Policy & National Security
Education & Student Debt
Bipartisanship & Governance
These categories are distillations of the categories used by Congress to sort bills. They cover the biggest issues in the 2024 election cycle, though they are subject to change in later cycles. For example, as Artificial Intelligence becomes increasingly sophisticated and commonplace, it may warrant its own category.
CANDIDATE GRADING
Each category is graded on the left-right spectrum commonly used in political science. Accurately defining ‘left’ and ‘right’ requires a nuanced conversation, but the basic dichotomy centers around radical progressivism versus radical conservatism. Although sensible critiques of this spectrum exist, the compartmentalized use of it employed in Pixel Primaries curtails many of its issues. Ultimately, the spectrum is effective in quickly communicating where a candidate stands in any given category.
As a result of the left-right spectrum being applied individually to each category, the exact definitions of the spectrum change depending on what category is being examined. The following table outlines the exact definitions of each grade within each category:
Each category is graded on the left-right spectrum commonly used in political science. Accurately defining ‘left’ and ‘right’ requires a nuanced conversation, but the basic dichotomy centers around radical progressivism versus radical conservatism. Although sensible critiques of this spectrum exist, the compartmentalized use of it employed in Pixel Primaries curtails many of its issues. Ultimately, the spectrum is effective in quickly communicating where a candidate stands in any given category.
As a result of the left-right spectrum being applied individually to each category, the exact definitions of the spectrum change depending on what category is being examined. The following table outlines the exact definitions of each grade within each category:
ECONOMY AND JOBS
ECONOMY AND JOBS
IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY
IMMIGRATION & BORDER SECURITY
HEALTHCARE & REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
HEALTHCARE & REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
GUN CONTROL & PUBLIC SAFETY
GUN CONTROL & PUBLIC SAFETY
FOREIGN POLICY & NATIONAL SECURITY
FOREIGN POLICY & NATIONAL SECURITY
EDUCATION & STUDENT DEBT
EDUCATION & STUDENT DEBT
BIPARTISANSHIP & GOVERNANCE
BIPARTISANSHIP & GOVERNANCE
RECORD VS RHETORIC
RECORD VS RHETORIC
Within each category, a candidate is also graded twice. Each category cell (shaped like a pill) may contain up to two bars (one on top and one on the bottom).
The top bar grades a candidate’s voting record by pulling every bill they have sponsored or co-sponsored in the last four years, sorting it into one of the eight categories, then assigning it a numerical value based on the bill description. The final grade is the calculated average of every bill value within a given category. Receiving this grade requires the candidate to have held a position in Congress. As such, not every candidate in Pixel Primary will have a top bar in their stat block, since they have never held office.
The bottom bar grades a candidate’s rhetoric. These are their claims, their promises to constituents, etc. Pixel Primaries determines this grade by pulling text directly from each candidate’s website.
The inclusion of two bars allows users to evaluate a candidate’s commitment to their own promises. For example, the cell on the left displays a candidate who promised to promote radical left policies but sponsored bills that were, on average, more moderate. This underdelivery isn’t entirely uncommon, since politicians often have to back more moderate bills to push the needle in the direction they are advocating for.
Within each category, a candidate is also graded twice. Each category cell (shaped like a pill) may contain up to two bars (one on top and one on the bottom).
The top bar grades a candidate’s voting record by pulling every bill they have sponsored or co-sponsored in the last four years, sorting it into one of the eight categories, then assigning it a numerical value based on the bill description. The final grade is the calculated average of every bill value within a given category. Receiving this grade requires the candidate to have held a position in Congress. As such, not every candidate in Pixel Primary will have a top bar in their stat block, since they have never held office.
The bottom bar grades a candidate’s rhetoric. These are their claims, their promises to constituents, etc. Pixel Primaries determines this grade by pulling text directly from each candidate’s website.
The inclusion of two bars allows users to evaluate a candidate’s commitment to their own promises. For example, the cell below displays a candidate who promised to promote radical left policies but sponsored bills that were, on average, more moderate. This underdelivery isn’t entirely uncommon, since politicians often have to back more moderate bills to push the needle in the direction they are advocating for.
