The Scarlet Letter
Campaign Insider
Obama's benchmark on jobs?
by Danielle Kane / Jun 11 2012
If history is any indication, the next set of economic numbers—set for release in early July—will be critical for President Obama’s reelection bid.
Earlier this month, Democrats were rattled by the latest jobs report: just 69,000 new jobs were created in May and the unemployment rate ticked up slightly from 8.1 percent to 8.2 percent. If the pattern doesn’t break next month, Obama would be just the third president since 1980 to
One cheer for text message contributions
by David Mason / Jun 11 2012
The Federal Election Commission appears poised to approve a method for donors to make small campaign contributions via text message. But I’m giving the news just one cheer because I’m not convinced text contributions will live up to the buzz.
Why? For one, fundraising via text will be expensive. It also introduces barriers to donor follow-up, and it may benefit only high profile campaigns.
Text collection fees can run 50 percent
Timing your campaign signs
by Ben Donahower / Jun 11 2012
A campaign has three resources: time, money, and people. While campaigns can always, theoretically, raise more money or find more volunteers, they can't push back Election Day. Time is the only nonrenewable resource, so making the right timing decisions is critical.
With that in mind, what’s the right time to deploy traditional campaign signs? Even in a new media world, it’s a detail campaigns shouldn’t be glossing over.
Targeted and high-profile
Politics as entertainment
by Mandie Suits / Jun 08 2012
And the winner is ... both! That was the outcome of the Kristen Bell-Toby Keith-hosted debate in the opening segment of Wednesday night’s CMT Music Awards. The show began with the two performers campaigning for the top host spot. Voters for this election included the likes of Jon Bon Jovi and Matthew McConaughey, as well as President Obama and Mitt Romney. The president and his challenger appeared in separate skits where they deliberated
Voter behavior and what 'The West Wing' teaches us about Wisconsin
by Robert Spicer / Jun 08 2012
In the last season of NBC’s “The West Wing,” fictional White House staffers Josh Lyman, played by Bradley Whitford, and Sam Seaborn, played by Rob Lowe, have an exchange about the obsessiveness of politically active individuals.
Sam: Neuroscientists have found that when people who describe themselves as politically committed listen to political statements they respond only with the emotional side of the brain. The area of the cortex where reasoning occurs stays quiet.
What Wisconsin means for the White House race
by Erik Nilsson / Jun 07 2012
Wisconsin’s recall election showed us that depending solely on a ground game will not win an election. A campaign also needs a media and messaging focus in order to drive supporters to the polls. But to execute a robust media strategy your campaign needs to raise significant amounts of money.
That doesn’t mean political fundraising is the be all and end all of a campaign. It’s simply the fuel to power the other
Identifying ‘women-friendly’ House districts
by Dave Nyczepir / Jun 07 2012
Democratic Reps. Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.) and Anna Eshoo (Calif.) might rest easier knowing they currently occupy some of the most “women-friendly” terrain in the country, according to new research from two political scientists.
In their new book, “Women & Congressional Elections: A Century of Change,” Professors Barbara Palmer and Dennis Simon set out to determine whether demographics make certain congressional districts more or less likely to elect a woman.
Political strategists
Gov. Walker wins the Wisconsin air war
by Chris Palko / Jun 06 2012
When the Wisconsin recall election started edging forward last fall, Gov. Scott Walker (R) didn’t hesitate. He began airing ads on November 15. At that point in time, the success of the recall looked like a 50/50 proposition. For the last six weeks of 2011, Walker put in $2.4 million in paid media. The only other advertiser on the air at this time was the Democratic umbrella group Greater Wisconsin Committee. In this period,
Did money really win the day in Wisconsin?
by Phillip Stutts / Jun 06 2012
As politicos, we’ve all been there the following morning. Big win or big loss—it doesn’t matter. The campaign aides are sleeping off hangovers (good or bad) and the reporters are penning post-mortems.
The one theme I’m seeing throughout the mainstream media is that money won the day in Wisconsin. That along with the “Walker survives” headlines (if winning by seven points is surviving).
The stories are everywhere, and it’s a theme
Lessons from Berman, Sherman clash
by Sean J. Miller / Jun 06 2012
LOS ANGELES—Rep. Howard Berman wasn’t looking at the returns being projected onto a white wall in his Encino campaign office, which was probably a good thing, considering they showed him about five points down to Rep. Brad Sherman. Standing behind a lectern on top of a small stage, the veteran congressman told his cheering supporters, “We have seized the momentum.”
The contest between the two Democratic congressmen was the highest-profile intraparty battle in
Will the Wisconsin recall foreshadow November?
by Stefan Hankin / Jun 04 2012
The recall election of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) has Democrats and Republicans in Washington keeping their fingers crossed for a team victory and a good week of talking points. Both parties have tried to package this election as a forecast of what’s to come in November. But is it really an accurate measure? Probably not, given recent history.
The polling gives an edge to Walker as there were no surveys in May
With mistrial, an opportunity to rethink Edwards prosecution
by Allen Dickerson / Jun 01 2012
In the trial of former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), the jury succeeded in reaching a unanimous opinion on only one point -- that a $200,000 check written as Edwards's campaign was disintegrating, and cashed only after it ended, was not an illegal campaign contribution.
That makes sense. Criminal trials are supposed to be about the actions and intentions of the accused, not those of third parties. Bunny Mellon may have intended any number
Newsletter Sign up
Please enter a valid email address
Sign up here to receive newsletters and special offers from Campaigns & Elections.
Advertise with Campaigns&Elections
