The Campaignguy Blog

  How to Define Your Opponent  Many candidates fear negative campaigning.   When they hear the words “we need to go negative,” they think about mudslinging, picking on the opponent’s family, name calling, and other unsavory activities.   But defining your opponent doesn’t have to mean any of these things. Sometimes “going negative” simply means telling the truth about an opponent that will put their decisions in a negative light.   Going negative should be substantive and relevant to the campaign.   And sometimes “going negative” is as simple as showcasing your strengths in contrast to your opponent’s weaknesses.   You can contrast yourself with your opponent in a way that highlights your strengths without turning voters off.   The Art of Contrast Messaging Before you begin your campaign, you should perform a self-evaluation as well as an evaluation of your opponent.   This evaluation is known in the academic and business worlds as a ...

  Beyond the Buzzwords: Why Politicians Should Avoid Overused Clichés Political speeches and debates are supposed to inspire, educate, and persuade. Too often, however, candidates rely on tired, overused clichés that make their messages sound generic, insincere, or even meaningless. It is lazy.  Instead of engaging voters, these phrases can make a candidate seem unoriginal, disconnected, or worse - like they’re dodging important questions.   If you’re a candidate running for office, or someone who helps write speeches, it’s time to retire the corny banalities and start being genuine. Below are some of the worst offenders used by politicians—and why they should be avoided.   If you need a moment to compose yourself, a few seconds of silence is better that platitudes and fluff.  In fact, silence is an effective tool that captures attention.  I use it myself.  Try it! Overused Political Clichés (and What to Say Instead) 1. “At the end of the day…”...

DO NOT SKIP THIS BLOG POST! Not every voter is "your" voter. The key to winning an election is knowing who the voters are in your district, understanding your natural "base" of supporters, who thew "swing" voters are (and what issues they care about), and the cohort of voters who will likely not support you (for reasons of policy, party, etc.).  Why is targeting important? I have consulted on numerous political campaigns over the years.  There are four limited resources on a campaign: time, information, money and people.  The first is time.  Time is a resource that cannot be created.  You know exactly how many seconds there are between this moment and the close of polls on election day.  Throughout all of the campaigns I have managed or consulted, I have met many eager candidates who pledged that they will knock on every door in the district.   Well, unless the district is very tiny, or you have superhuman powers akin to Santa Claus, the likelihoo...

A campaign message isn’t just a slogan—it’s the core of your campaign. It defines why you’re running and why voters should support you. If you want to win, you need a compelling, memorable message that resonates with voters. What Makes a Great Campaign Message? It’s Simple & Clear: Your message should be easy to understand in one sentence. It’s Relevant: It should address the issues that matter most to voters. It’s Memorable: A strong message sticks with people long after they hear it. It Sets You Apart: It should highlight what makes you the best candidate. Let's look at the 2024 race for President of the United States in which the 45th President Donald Trump ran against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The video below, titled "Together" is an excellent example of President Trump's message.  It is clear, hopeful and has a message that was consistent throughout his entire campaign: As a contrast, the Harris campaign, that had the apparent advantage o...

Memorial Day and the Responsible Role of Politics   Every year on the last Monday of May (today), Americans gather in cemeteries, town squares, and memorial parks to remember those who gave their lives in service to the United States.  Friends and families gather, and it is the unofficial "kickoff" to summer.  But Memorial Day is not just another day off. It is a sacred moment on the national calendar—one that transcends partisanship, religion, sex, and all the "isms" over which we quarrel, and reminds us of the cost of freedom. For candidates and elected officials, Memorial Day presents both an opportunity and a responsibility. It is appropriate—indeed, it is vital—for those in public service and seeking office to participate in Memorial Day observances. After all, many of the fallen died defending the democratic institutions those candidates seek to serve. But political figures must tread carefully, honoring the day’s meaning rather than using it as a campaign bac...

  When I ran my first political campaign in 1995, I did not know what I was doing. I was a 20 year-old college student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.  I had excellent organizational skills, I was a former boy scout, I was in Navy ROTC, and I was in College Republicans.  I was also a lifeguard at the university's aquatic center.  None of these things prepared me for running a countywide race. I did not even think of looking for a book about how to run a political campaign.  I thought that type of text would not exist. So everything I began learning about how to run a political campaign, I had to learn organically - either by creating my own system or learning from others who had run campaigns, before. Fortunately, I was able to work with a campaign professional who had run federal and state political races.  I took classes about campaigning that were offered in my state, and I began to learn how campaigns were structured and how successful people won t...