Feeling the Bern? Russian Media Reporting on the U.S. Democratic Party's Presidential Primaries

Abstract

Did Russia seek to influence voting in the Democratic Party's primaries, and if so, to what end? Would the Kremlin rather have seen Bernie Sanders take on President Donald Trump in November than presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden? To answer these questions, this article analyzes reporting by four Russianstate-directed media outlets between October 2019 and March 2020. It finds evidence of a coordinated disinformation campaign against Joe Biden and of narratives designed to undermine voters' confidence in the legitimacy of the primary process. The article concludes that Russia's aversion to Biden stems from his strong commitment to NATO, support for Ukrainian sovereignty and tough line on Russian election meddling. It further concludes that spreading distrust in U.S. democracy was the main aim of Russian interference over and above a preference for a particular candidate. Whether or not Russian media messaging effects U.S. voters, the fact of Russia's meddling itself is a source of disruption and doubt.