Rage bait… it’s an attention grabber! Love it or hate it, one thing is clear: in politics today, throwing shade gets you way more screen time than talking policy, and a new study has just exposed this reality in stark, data-driven light.

Researchers from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Pennsylvania analyzed over 2.2 million public statements from every member of the 118th Congress — think floor speeches, press releases, newsletters, and social media posts. Using advanced AI, they sliced through the noise to separate genuine policy debate from personal attacks on someone’s character, integrity, or intellect. Their conclusion? Politicians who position themselves as “conflict entrepreneurs” — those who love to go negative — reap a whirlwind of media attention.

To paint the scene, a lawmaker who spends just 5% of their communications on personal insults garners roughly the same cable news coverage as one who devotes 45% of their time to serious policy talk. Even more staggering, the 25 most combative members of Congress combined received more airtime than the 75 least combative ones put together — resulting in nearly nine times the exposure for the insult-slingers. And the frenzy doesn’t stop at cable news. On social media, posts dripping with personal attacks rack up hundreds more reposts and shares than measured policy critiques. Outrage, it would seem, doesn’t just travel fast — it goes viral.

The study also found a higher rate of Republicans who engaged in personal attacks than their Democratic counterparts. Granted, the technology used by the researchers only accounted for the most extreme examples, not considering “subtler digs, innuendo, memes, and visual content.” And an overwhelming number of congressmen and women were found to hardly engage in this kind of distasteful behavior at all. So why do some politicians keep doing it? The study suggested the media itself is part of the incentive structure — conflict sells, clicks pay, and civility... well, not so much.

A StudyFinds analysis pointed to other factors: “First, American politics has become nationalized. Lawmakers increasingly play to audiences far beyond their districts, online followers, cable news viewers, partisan media ecosystems, who may reward confrontation with attention even if that attention doesn’t convert into anything concrete. Second, research has shown that politicians routinely overestimate how extreme their own voters are. If a lawmaker believes their constituents crave confrontation, they’ll provide it, even when the data says otherwise.”

The analysis also emphasized “one important caveat: this study is descriptive, not experimental. The researchers documented patterns across a large number of legislators but cannot definitively prove that insults cause media attention or that civility causes legislative productivity. Still, the data cover floor speeches, social media posts, press releases, and newsletters from every member of Congress over a full two-year term.”

And here’s where the rubber meets the road: This media bonanza appears to deliver zero tangible political rewards. The study found no correlation between hurling insults and better fundraising, higher election margins, more successful legislation, committee assignments, or even personal wealth. In other words, insults buy fleeting fame, viral dopamine hits, and headlines that vanish by morning. They build nothing lasting. No power. No progress. No legacy worth celebrating. In the end, the “conflict entrepreneurs” chase the spotlight over substance, ultimately coming up empty.

This study poses numerous questions regarding the developing cultural dynamic when engaging in politics. However, for those of us who identify as Christians or conservatives holding to core values that find their roots in Scripture, this data isn’t just political analysis — it’s a wake-up call.

The Bible leaves no room for ambiguity about the power of our words and the character they reveal. Proverbs 18:21 declares, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” James 3 warns that the tongue is “a restless evil, full of deadly poison,” capable of setting an entire forest ablaze with one careless spark. We’re called to something far higher: to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), to let our speech always be gracious and seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6), and to embody the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

When those who claim the name of Christ resort to personal insults and rage bait more readily than others, it doesn’t just fail politically. It undermines our witness to a watching world. It suggests our character is being shaped more by the world’s algorithms than by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus never modeled slander or cheap shots against His opponents. He spoke truth boldly — yet extended grace, dignity, and even love to those who hated Him. He called us to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16), not purveyors of more darkness and division.

This isn’t about being “nice” at the expense of truth. Fierce policy disagreements can be necessary and good. But attacking a person’s character rather than their ideas crosses a line that should convict every believer who claims to follow the Prince of Peace. If we truly believe biblical values produce stronger character — integrity, self-control, loving our neighbors (even our political ones) — then leading the pack in personal attacks (if the study proves true in that point) should grieve us, not define us.

I understand this study is not necessarily about Christians specifically being the ones who hurl insults, and only minorly highlighted the Republican lead. However, may this study remind us of how easy it is to fall into the trap of becoming a slanderer — and how much more frighteningly easy it is to justify our harsh words. Many of us watch the spectacle from afar, secretly entertained by the drama while contributing to its spread through shares, views, and silent approval. We may not throw the first stone, but our clicks and our quiet chuckles keep the fire roaring. It’s time for a reckoning.

If we want a politics that honors God and produces real fruit, we must reject rage bait and slander as a strategy. Demand better from our leaders. Model it ourselves. Focus on ideas, principles, and solutions rooted in truth and grace. Because headlines fade, but character — and the souls influenced by it — lasts for eternity.