In The Distinguished Gentleman, Eddie Murphy plays a con man with a similar name as a long-running Congressman. When the politician dies, Murphy runs for office using the politician's name: Jeff Johnson. He's careful not to go on camera but uses taglines in commercials such as "Johnson: The name you trust." He eventually achieves a slim victory. How does Murphy's character use voter ignorance to win the election? (Hint: The answer is only slightly different than the way most politicians use voter ignorance to win elections.)

Question

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Murphy's character takes advantage of voter ignorance by assuming that most voters won't investigate him too much, and also won't know that their congressman died. This allows him to use the deceased congressman's name and legacy to win the election without having to make any significant campaign promises or policy statements. Essentially, he's relying on the fact that many voters simply vote for the name or political party they recognize, rather than the actual candidate or their platform.

In the Distinguished Gentleman, Eddie Murphy Plays a Con Man