How to win an election

Steps To Election

1) Pick a race to run in2) Acquire the tools needed to run3) Issue Identification4) Delivering the Message5) Advertising6) Debating

Picking the Race to Run In

“In New York if you are looking for a good apartment you don’t look in the classified ads,

you look in the obituaries.”98% Re-election rate in the House75% Re-election rate in the Senate

So your best bet is to run for an open seat (one in which the incumbent is not seeking re-election)

HOWEVER……

Picking the Race To Run In

If you are going to challenge there are 3 signs to look for to see if somebody is vulnerable.

1)Times of Economic Distress2)Public Scandal (Not Private)

3)Public Boredom

Picking the Race to Run in

Local Races• City Counsel, Mayor (Small

to Medium Sized city), State Legislature, U.S. House of Reps.

• Need a good GROUND GAME because it is a labor intensive campaign.

• You win based on your volunteers, phone calls, and being closer to the voters

State Races• Mayor (large city), Governor

(or other state wide office), U.S. Senate, President

• Need a good AIR GAME because it is a capital intensive campaign.

• You win based on spreading your message clearly to a large group of people.

Tools Needed to Run

The decision to run must be made well in advance of the time of the election. Once you

decide to run all of your activities should center around increasing the following tools.

1) Positive Name Recognition2) Access to Money

3) Issue Identification

Issue Identification

Your issue must be…1) Something you care about, know about, and have credibility on.2) Controversial in some way3) Not a re-used, decided issue4) Tie in to a greater theme5) Something you NEVER drop

Delivering Your Message

The centerpiece of your campaign is to develop a “rationale” for people to vote for you.

(Some campaigns never do but still win, usually because the other campaign fails also and somebody has to win)

Your rationale should tie into your theme and issue.•Issue: Education•Theme: The Future•Rationale: Vote for me because I am the best choice to bring your children a better future

Delivering Your Message

Consistency is key“It is ok for a candidate to have an opinion on

everything, it is not ok for the candidate to constantly talk about everything”

Most voters don’t follow day-to-day election news. So when they see you talk about different things every time they look up they believe you don’t have a “core.”

Delivering Your Message

It is hard to stay consistent though. The Media in particular makes it difficult. The first three letters of “News” are N-E-W. So how do you

do it?The Same Way I Get My Son To Eat His Broccoli

You give them the same thing, dressed up a bit different.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Advertising

“How do I know if I should fire my campaign manager?”•If he tells you to hold off on spending money early in the race.• Spending money is an investment.• You spend money early, get a lead in the polls, and can fundraise more

• If he says your first advertisement should be a biography of you.• The Media and your website can do this for you for much cheaper.

Advertising

A Good Ad will…Focus on your issue, theme, and rationale ANDWork on a logical level ANDWork on an emotional level ANDBe visually compelling

Advertising

• Positive vs. Negative Ads• Positive Ads actually work better.–Doesn’t require viewer to dislike

opponent–Just has to think you’d be better at the

job• Positive Ads are much lower risk

Advertising

If you go negative…. Don’t do this…

Advertising

Negative Ads must…Be credible

- well sourcedBe comparison ads, not just attacks

- saying bad things about somebody else doesn’t give them a reason to vote for you, just not for themAvoid having the candidate directly attack

- use a surrogate as independent as possible

Debates

There are a lot of rules for a debate. But the main one is to not let what I am about to

show you happen to you.

Quayle vs. Benston Debate 1988

Debates

• Body Language is important–The camera is always on you

• Answer, Attack/Compare/Explain• Always bring it back to your issue,

theme, rationale.