Few things illustrate the differences between Republican and Democratic visions for America than the things that their presidential hopefuls talk about at debate. The above chart takes the two most recent debates–the Oct. 28 Republican debate and the Oct. 19 Democratic debate–and looks at which party’s candidates mentioned 10 key policy terms more often.
To be sure, the questions moderators ask also help determine the words the candidates will use. Although many candidates are adept at turning away from a question to speak about what they’d like to discuss most. Words in the chart above are only counted once per response, so a candidate who says “Washington” three times in one dissertation–which happens!–contributes only one point to the party’s score.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0
- How Elon Musk Became a Kingmaker
- The Power—And Limits—of Peer Support
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Chris Wilson at chris.wilson@time.com