Abstract: The essential attribute of image information and the inherent law of visual cognition determine that visual image has natural advantages in political communication.With the continuous upgrading of visual technology,the inherent attributes of visual image,such as vividness,intuition,concreteness,resonance and inclusiveness,have been continuously strengthened,and political communication has shown a deep visual turn.The image has been widely used,taking a more and more important position and continuing to develop.In the political communication centered on political campaign in the West,this deep visual turn has triggered a series of new trends of political communication:one is the specialization with image shaping as the core and personalization with specific characters as the focus,and the other is the persuasiveness deviation to the sensibility with sensibility as the core and the audience cognition as the target.As the focus of western realistic politics gradually revolves around visual elements,visual politics is becoming more and more important,which leads to new symptoms such as aesthetic of democratic election,individualization of political identity,paranoia of political attitude,morbid operation of democracy and so on，posing a great impact and challenge to the contemporary western political pattern and democratic order.

Key words: political communication, visual turn, visual politics, democratic dilemma