Campaign Trend Podcast

Panic Responsibly: What Social Media Should Teach Us About AI

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Did the internet let politics down, or did we? Eric sits down with his friend Katie Harbath, founder and CEO of Anchor Change and author of the new book Disrupting Politics: A Front Row Seat to the Collision of Technology and Democracy. Before spending a decade running global elections policy at Facebook, Katie built GOP.com, ran digital for Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign and led digital at the NRSC, so she's watched this collision from both sides. Eric and Katie trace how real-time analytics pushed campaigns toward whatever got the most clicks, and why social media turned "villainous overnight" after the 2016 election. They also talk about the whiplash campaigns felt when the same tactics went from brilliant to sinister in just four years. Then they turn to AI, where the pendulum has swung the other way. Katie closes with two lessons from the book: good intentions are not safeguards, and panic responsibly.

Get the book: Disrupting Politics

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

What If AI Worked for Voters?

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Almost everything written about AI and elections this cycle is about what it will do to voters. Paul Allen thinks the bigger story is what it can do for them. This week, Eric sits down with Paul, co-founder of Ancestry.com and founder and CEO of SOAR and Citizen Portal, who is applying the lessons of turning a huge unread archive into something personal to the records almost no one reads: local government meetings, ordinances and regulations.

They get into how Citizen Portal transcribes public meetings and links every AI-written story back to the tape; a "newspaper business in a box" meant to make one-person local newsrooms viable again; and why AI agents may be the only way clerks keep up with a flood of public records requests. Eric pushes on whether elected officials will welcome that kind of transparency or just find new places to hide — and Paul challenges the premise.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Pulse Check: Where Campaigns and Tech Stand Heading Into the Midterms

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 06:00:00 -0400

This week, Eric Wilson is the guest. Right after Labor Day, Eric joined Prompt.io president Farz Sokhansanj on Prompt.io's Pulse Check webinar to take stock of where campaigns and technology stand heading into the midterms.

They cover the four kinds of Americans campaigns are trying to reach, and why only about 9% of them are the ones actually talking about politics. Whether 2024 really was the "podcast election," and why podcasts haven't worked down the ballot. How AI is showing up in this cycle's ads, and why it should be spice, not the whole meal. The 42% of Republicans in toss-up races who don't have an issues page on their website, even as AI search leans on those pages. Why over-targeting leaves votes on the table. What voters actually mean when they ask for a candidate who's "authentic." And why vendors need to be building case studies right now.

As Eric puts it: the winner isn't the person with the most views. It's the person with the most votes.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Who's Actually Getting Benefits on Campaigns?

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Eric is joined by Dustin Tropp, founder of Republican Jobs, to unpack the 2026 Political Careers Survey — 427 political professionals on pay, benefits, and whether they're sticking around.

The headline finding: it's not the job that determines whether campaign work is a real career, it's the employer. Staff at a firm or committee report just 16% with zero benefits. Staff hired directly by a campaign? 64% with nothing. Same candidates, same work, wildly different security — and Dustin explains why campaigns can't fix it on their own.

They also get into why senior campaign hires are taking two to three months to fill this cycle, why hiring is shifting from March to November, what happens once a staffer crosses the $125K mark, and why field organizers — the least automatable job in politics — are still among the worst paid. Plus: what the survey found on AI (42% say it's changed how they work, only 12% see it as a threat), and why employers aren't paying for the extra output they're getting from it yet.

Dustin also shares real-time hiring data most surveys miss: 107 open roles, where the shortages are worst, and what he's telling clients about paying below-market rates.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Can You Trust a Poll No Human Ever Took?

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Can you trust a poll when no human ever picked up the phone? Eric sits down with Matthew Hanauer, co-founder of Civly, to unpack synthetic polling — building AI simulations of real, individually-modeled voters (using public voter file, demographic, and donation data) to predict how they'd respond to a survey. Matt walks through how Civly back-tests its models against real election results, why asking AI yes/no questions produces unrealistically extreme answers, why piling on more data (like social media) can actually make predictions worse, and how turnout modeling benefits from more than just "did they vote last time." Eric and Matt land on where AI polling actually fits into a campaign's toolkit in 2026: filling the gap for downballot races that could never afford a traditional poll, and pressure-testing messages before committing budget to the real thing.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Vetting Candidates in the AI Era with John Artunkal (Argus AI)

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Opposition research has always rewarded whoever digs deepest. AI is changing who can afford to dig — and how much stays buried. This week, Eric Wilson sits down with John Artunkal, founder and CEO of Argus AI, who came to politics through open-source intelligence, trained by Bellingcat and schooled at Oxford in the social science of the internet.

They get into how AI is — and isn't — transforming the vetting business: digital footprint mapping, facial recognition, and linguistic forensics; why self-vetting is now table stakes for down-ballot candidates; and the trade-off every research tool has to make between flagging too much and missing the one thing that ends a campaign. John also makes the case that candidates shouldn't over-sanitize themselves. Voters reward authenticity — the job is knowing the difference between a rough edge and a career-ender.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Let Robots Do Robot Things

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Everyone's worried about AI deepfakes in politics. Becki Wright says that's not the real story.

Becki, founder of Proximity and a former candidate and campaign manager, joins Eric Wilson to talk about what AI is actually doing in campaigns right now — mostly quiet, mostly mundane, and mostly happening on downballot races that can't afford a full-time staff. She breaks down the three failure modes of off-the-shelf AI tools (the sycophancy problem, the averaging effect, and hallucination), why voters are growing more suspicious of anything that smells AI-generated, and why the campaigns that get burned by AI are usually the ones that let it replace judgment instead of amplifying it.

Her bottom line: let AI handle scale and speed. Keep the human in the loop for everything else.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Digital Twin Dilemma: Why AI Can't Replace Real Voters — Yet

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Every pollster knows the problem: for every hundred voters you ask to take a poll, only one or two actually respond. So what if AI could just answer the questions for them? It's a seductive idea — and Ben Leff has put it to the test.

Ben is co-founder and CEO of Verasight, a survey research firm founded by academics and trusted by leading institutions and media organizations. He and his colleagues G. Elliott Morris and Peter Enns recently published a series of papers asking the question the industry is buzzing about: can AI digital twins replace human survey respondents? Their verdict, after rigorous real-world testing, is a firm — for now.

In this conversation with host Eric Wilson, Ben breaks down exactly what synthetic sampling is, how Verasight built and stress-tested it, and where it consistently fell apart. Ben sees a narrow lane where synthetic data could earn a legitimate spot in the toolkit — as a directional pre-screen, a quick and cheap starting point before committing to a full sample. But for anything requiring precision in close races, the humans still have to show up.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Disclaimer Effect: What the Data Actually Says About AI and Voter Trust

Wed, 13 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400

AI adoption in political consulting is accelerating — but is the industry keeping up, or splitting in two? Eric Wilson sits down with Julie Sweet, Director of Advocacy and Industry Relations at the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC), to dig into the findings of AAPC's March 2026 member survey on AI use across the profession. They unpack what real integration looks like versus chatbot-level tinkering, why larger firms are pulling ahead on agentic tools, and what that gap means for smaller consultancies heading into 2028.

Then the conversation shifts to the AAPC Foundation's Disclaimer Effect Study — the first empirical research on how AI disclosures in political advertising actually affect voter trust. The results are striking: slapping an AI disclaimer on an ad, even a traditionally produced one, reliably tanks credibility. And the voters least familiar with the technology are the least helped by the disclaimers designed to protect them.

With 30 states now operating under a patchwork of AI disclosure laws — and two already enjoined on First Amendment grounds — Sweet and Wilson make the case for data-backed policy over reactive regulation, and look ahead to a future where agentic systems aren't just assisting campaigns, they may be running parts of them.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

AI on the Ballot: What Rural Voters Really Fear

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Adrianne Marsh, CEO of Altum Insight, came to rural Nebraska expecting to hear about the economy. What her team found instead stopped them cold: deep, values-rooted fear of artificial intelligence — not about jobs or data centers, but about trust, truth, and a way of life under threat. Adrianne joins Eric to break down the qualitative research behind that finding, what it means for Democratic strategy in 2026, and why the generational breakdown of AI skepticism defied every assumption — including her own.

They also get into the nuts and bolts of how Altum Insight does its research, why traditional polling instruments miss the most important voter sentiments, and where campaigns should and shouldn't be leaning on AI heading into the midterms.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Science of Persuasion with Josh Bandoch

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Winning arguments doesn't win elections. Persuasion does — and they're not the same thing. On this episode, Eric Wilson talks with Josh Bandoch, head of policy at the Illinois Policy Institute and author of How to Get What You Want: Mastering the Art and Science of Persuasion (Simon & Schuster), about what the neuroscience and psychology of persuasion actually tell us — and what most campaigns keep getting wrong.

Bandoch walks through four cognitive realities that shape how voters receive political messages: we feel before we reason, we respond to vision over opposition, our moral foundations vary across the political spectrum, and story always beats data. The conversation gets practical fast — from why the "logic tsunami" approach keeps backfiring on policy advocates, to how candidates can deploy the "them first" mindset on the doors, in ads, and across every piece of campaign communication heading into 2026.

Josh Bandoch is a former speechwriter for cabinet secretaries and a strategic communications consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. How to Get What You Want is available now.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Build, Don't Borrow: The New Audience Strategy in Politics

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0400

For decades, campaigns have won by borrowing — getting union endorsements, buying TV ads, riding the audiences others built. But a small and growing number of candidates are doing something fundamentally different: building their own audiences from scratch and keeping them well beyond election day. Doug Usher, a partner at Forbes Tate Partners and co-founder of the Analytics Program at Columbia University, joins Eric Wilson to unpack how this shift is changing not just how campaigns are run, but how power works once politicians are in office. From why moderates are at a structural disadvantage in an algorithm-driven world, to why Ted Cruz and Gavin Newsom are already playing the 2028 long game through podcasts and social media, this conversation reframes what it means to run for office in 2026 — and what it will take to win.

https://www.prweek.com/article/1942874/building-vs-borrowing-zohran-mamdani-marjorie-taylor-greene-aftyn-behn-blazed-new-path

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The CTV Debate: Who Should Own Your Campaign's Streaming Buy?

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Connected TV spending is growing — but the real question in 2026 isn't whether campaigns should be buying CTV. It's who should be managing the buy.
Eric Wilson sits down with Chauncey Southworth, CEO of CrossScreen Media, to untangle the debate between TV buyers and digital buyers over who owns the streaming buy. Chauncey breaks down where the CTV growth is actually coming from (hint: down-ballot races are surging), why siloed buying is costing campaigns real money, and what questions every campaign should be asking their vendors right now.

They also dig into a striking stat from CrossScreen founder Michael Beach: linear TV viewers see over 13 minutes of ads per hour, while streaming viewers see fewer than 4. What does that mean for your creative strategy? And how should campaigns be thinking about the light viewers who are hardest to reach on any screen?

From supply path optimization to message testing to GOTV strategy for low-propensity voters, this is a conversation that will sharpen how you think about every dollar in your video budget.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Reaching the Disengaged: Midterm Voters & the Streaming Revolution

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500

The 2026 midterms present a fundamentally different electoral landscape for Republicans. In this episode, pollster David Kanevsky breaks down exclusive post-election survey data from Virginia and New Jersey that reveals how campaigns are now dealing with two distinct electorates: highly engaged partisans who consume news across every platform, and politically disengaged voters who stream without ads and intentionally avoid political content.

The conversation reveals a media landscape where more voters now get their TV content through streaming than traditional broadcast or cable, where news has been "unbundled" from weather and sports, and where platforms like TikTok and LinkedIn now reach more voters than X/Twitter. With nearly half of votes being cast before Election Day and the most persuadable voters being the least engaged with traditional political media, campaigns must fundamentally rethink their approach.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Inside Political Ad Spending for 2026 with John Link (AdImpact)

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Host Eric Wilson sits down with John Link, Senior Vice President of Data at Ad Impact, to unpack the eye-popping numbers behind the 2025-2026 political cycle—projected to become the most expensive midterm in U.S. history at $10.8 billion. Link reveals that three to four Senate races alone could hit the unprecedented $500 million mark, with Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, and potentially Texas leading the way.

The conversation explores why House races are seeing the largest spending increases despite fewer competitive districts, how connected TV is capturing growing market share as the only expanding media category, and why early money is flooding the system faster than ever before. Link also discusses the real-world impact of mid-decade redistricting in states like California and Texas, the messaging challenges in saturated battleground markets, and why campaigns must navigate an increasingly fragmented media landscape that now includes streaming, digital, podcasting, and social platforms. For political professionals looking to understand where the industry is headed, this episode offers essential insights into the spending dynamics shaping the 2026 cycle.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

All In on SMS: Prompt.io CEO Phil Gordon On The Stakes For 2026

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500

What happens when a poker champion with $3 million in tournament winnings pivots to political texting? You get Phil Gordon, founder of Prompt.io, dropping wisdom on selective aggression, ethical influence, and why your campaign texts might be getting ignored.

Whether you're managing a 50-50 race or just tired of your texts going straight to the spam folder, this episode is your permission to fold the bad hands and go all-in on what actually works.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

From Swifties to Socialists: How Fan Culture Is Remaking Political Campaigns

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Wired senior writer Makena Kelly joins Eric Wilson to unpack how online fandom culture—the same energy that drives Swifties and K-Pop fans—is now fueling political movements. Through the lens of Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral campaign, Kelly reveals why young voters aren't just supporting candidates anymore—they're creating fan cams, remixing rally speeches into songs, and building participatory communities around policy issues.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Hidden Networks That Control Campaign Money with Jordan Lieberman

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 06:00:00 -0500

What if the political consulting industry isn't the competitive free market everyone assumes it is? Jordan Lieberman, CEO of Powers Interactive, analyzed over 54 million federal campaign transactions to reveal the hidden architecture of political consulting. In this episode, Jordan shares eye-opening findings about vendor survival rates, the power of alumni networks, and why 93% of consultants don't make it a decade in the business. We discuss how institutions like the Leadership Institute and party committees create lasting professional networks, why digital shops churn while printers endure, and what Jordan calls the "hollowing out of the middle class" in political consulting. Plus, Jordan offers counterintuitive career advice: why losing campaigns might actually lead to more success than winning them. If you want to understand how campaign money really flows and what it takes to build a lasting career in politics, this conversation is essential listening.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

What's Next for 2026: Texting, Podcasts, and Political Tech Trends

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400

What should smart campaigners be doing right now to prepare for 2026? In this special episode, we're sharing a recent webinar hosted by Campaigns & Elections and sponsored by Prompt.io, where host Eric Wilson sits down with Farz Sokhansanj, President of Prompt.io, to unpack the tech trends and strategic shifts that will define the next election cycle.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How to Stop Wasting Money on Connected TV Ads with Billy McBeath

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Billy McBeath from Senate Leadership Fund reveals why most political campaigns are still buying connected TV like it's 2015—and what they should do instead.

He breaks down the breakthrough YouTube study that forced SLF to rebuild their entire advertising strategy mid-cycle, discovering that 14 impressions on YouTube moved polling numbers like broadcast TV. Billy explains how to get modeling, polling, and reporting to actually talk to each other, why fragmentation is costing campaigns thousands in wasted impressions, and the four rules for smarter CTV buying in 2026.

If you're spending six figures or more on digital video, this episode will save you money.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Bruce Schneier on AI as Democracy's Power Magnifier

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Security expert Bruce Schneier joins Campaign Trend host Eric Wilson to discuss his upcoming book "Rewiring Democracy" and how AI is already transforming politics behind the scenes. From AI-written laws in Brazil to chatbots helping local candidates engage voters, Schneier explores AI's potential as both a democratizing force and power concentrator. He introduces his "four S's" framework for understanding when AI replaces humans and addresses why deepfakes aren't the biggest concern. The conversation covers AI polling, regulation challenges, and the concept of AI-enhanced citizenship while rejecting both utopian and dystopian extremes.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The WinRed Effect: Six Years of GOP Fundraising Revolution with Ryan Lyk

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 06:00:00 -0400

WinRed CEO Ryan Lyk joins Eric Wilson for a revealing conversation about how GOP fundraising has transformed since 2018. The "WinRed Effect" report reveals stunning shifts in donor behavior, from smaller gifts given more frequently to massive growth in down-ballot digital programs. Lyk discusses battling Big Tech suppression, innovative solutions for SMS deliverability, and exclusive details on upcoming "recurring retention" features that will revolutionize how campaigns manage donor subscriptions and reduce churn rates.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Blocked Messages: The iOS 26 and Gmail Problem with Dave Purkert (TAG Strategies)

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:00:00 -0400

As campaigns gear up for the 2026 midterms, new tech changes threaten online fundraising. Apple's iOS 26 will filter texts from unknown numbers, potentially blocking campaign messages from reaching 65% of donors who use iPhones. Meanwhile, Gmail has been flagging Republican fundraising emails with WinRed links as dangerous while ActBlue links pass through unfiltered. TAG Strategies' Dave Purkert breaks down these challenges and shares strategies campaigns can use to protect their donor outreach and fundraising operations.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Unstructured Data, Structured Insights: AI Tools for Campaign Analysis

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Eric Wilson discusses groundbreaking research from the Center for Campaign Innovation on using AI to analyze open-ended survey responses. In this special episode, producer Adam Belmar interviews Eric about testing four AI models—ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Gemini—to code voter responses in a battleground congressional district. Discover how AI can revolutionize campaign research by processing qualitative voter feedback faster and more affordably, plus practical implementation strategies for political professionals.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Lincoln 2.0: When AI Candidates Enter the Political Arena with Robert Moran

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

Political strategist and novelist Robert Moran joins Eric Wilson to discuss his new book "Lincoln 2.0," a political thriller exploring AI candidates in future elections. They dive into whether voters would accept a digitally resurrected Abraham Lincoln running for president, the technological requirements for AI candidates, and regulatory challenges facing this emerging reality. The conversation covers real-world examples like Modi's digital avatar in India, AI debate prep possibilities, and the potential for campaigns to create digital clones of candidates. Moran predicts presidential libraries will soon create AI versions of past presidents, making this speculative fiction feel surprisingly close to reality.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Why Local Campaigns Need Better Tech Tools – Ron Nehring (Leadership Institute)

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Campaign Trend, host Eric Wilson sits down with Ron Nehring, Director of International Programs at the Leadership Institute and former national spokesman for Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential campaign, to discuss the critical gaps in campaign technology for down-ballot races.

Nehring outlines five key challenges facing campaign tech developers: building affordable message testing tools for local campaigns, segmenting voters by engagement level using the "core vs. crowd" framework, translating digital insights into analog strategy, creating better feedback loops to replace unreliable polling, and developing tools that challenge prevailing political narratives.

The conversation reveals why political insiders often struggle to connect with non-political voters and offers practical solutions for tech entrepreneurs looking to penetrate the fragmented world of local campaigns. Recorded at the Leadership Institute's studios following Nehring's presentation at ElectTech San Francisco.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The ROI of Political Design with Shane Helm (RightPixel)

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400

How does visual design influence voter behavior and campaign effectiveness? In this episode of Campaign Trend, host Eric Wilson speaks with Shane Helm, founder of RightPixel, about the critical role of design in political campaigns. They explore why campaigns often shortchange the design process, the importance of designing for voters rather than candidates or spouses, and how red, white, and blue still outperform trendy color schemes with American audiences. The conversation covers measuring ROI on design investments, incorporating AI tools like Midjourney for image creation while avoiding AI logo generators, and the growing need to design for short-form video content to reach Gen Z voters. Helm also discusses his biggest pet peeve in political design—campaigns trying to reinvent the wheel instead of building on proven design language—and why authentic, simple, patriotic design continues to drive voter response and action.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Corporate America Learned to Navigate Trump 2.0 - Alex Conant (Firehouse Strategies)

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0400

How has corporate America's approach to Washington changed between Trump's first and second administrations? In this episode of Campaign Trend, host Eric Wilson speaks with Alex Conant, partner and co-founder of Firehouse Strategies, about the evolution from companies hiding behind trade associations to direct CEO engagement with the White House. They discuss the shifting role of lobbyists versus public affairs professionals, how companies are building broader coalitions of allies rather than relying solely on traditional lobbying, and the impact of AI on advocacy campaigns. The conversation also covers the continued importance of mainstream media in setting agendas and essential skills for public affairs professionals in today's relationship-driven industry.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Influencer Marketing in Political Campaigns – Courtney Weaver (IMGE)

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Courtney Weaver, Executive VP at IMGE, cuts through the hype around influencer marketing in political campaigns. Discover why influencers aren't just celebrities with massive followings - they're trusted voices like teachers, veterans, and mom bloggers who've built authentic relationships with niche audiences.

In this conversation with host Eric Wilson, learn practical strategies for incorporating user-generated content into your paid media mix, why you can't skip traditional digital advertising, and how campaigns of all sizes can leverage this relationship-based approach. Wilson and Weaver explore everything from ballot initiatives to local races, delivering actionable insights on budgeting, platform selection, and the mindset shift required to work effectively with content creators.

Perfect for campaign managers, political consultants, and anyone looking to understand how authentic storytelling and digital targeting work together in modern political communications.

Become a Friend of the Trend: https://campaigntrend.com/friends/

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Risks of Rushing to Regulate AI – Jordi Calvet-Bademunt (The Future of Free Speech)

Wed, 21 May 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Jordi Calvet-Bademunt, a senior research fellow at The Future of Free Speech and visiting scholar at Vanderbilt University, joins Eric Wilson to discuss AI regulations and their potential unintended consequences for free speech. In this eye-opening conversation, Calvet-Bademunt reveals how the anticipated wave of AI-generated deepfakes during the 2024 elections failed to materialize despite widespread panic from global institutions and media.

The episode explores why AI is being treated differently than previous communication technologies, examines the risks of overly broad regulations, and highlights how both government policies and corporate self-censorship could threaten political discourse. Calvet-Bademunt shares surprising research findings about the actual impact of deepfakes in recent elections worldwide and advocates for media literacy over restrictive policies while celebrating the positive potential of AI in political communication.

For campaign professionals and political strategists, this conversation offers valuable insight into navigating the evolving relationship between emerging technology and free speech in democratic systems.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Panel: From Clicks to Conversation

Wed, 07 May 2025 06:00:00 -0400

On today’s episode, we’re sharing a panel discussion I moderated early this month at the Leadership Institute’s ElectTech conference in San Francisco. It was an informative conversation about how technology can be used to provide scale alongside the more conversational tactics campaigns are embracing.

Become a Friend of the Trend: https://campaigntrend.com/friends/

Caroline Strom, Client Partner for US Elections, X
Bryan McPartlan, Sales Director, Prompt.io
Scott Winn, COO, California Republican Party

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Navigating Complex Media Buys – Lara Aulestia (1060 Advisors)

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Lara Aulestia is founder and CEO of 1060 Advisors, a paid media strategy, planning and buying company serving the public affairs and political industry. She has an extensive background in political media buying with past roles at iHeartMedia, Resonate, Xandr, and Warner Media.

In this episode we dig into the need to layer media buys across platforms to achieve our desired reach and frequency objectives.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Capitol Hill Staff Get News – David Tennent (Capitol CNCT)

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is David Tennent, founder of CNCT, a platform to centralize social and professional opportunities for political staffers.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Campaigns Can Actually Use AI – Maya Hutchinson (BattlegroundAI)

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest is Maya Hutchinson, the Founder & CEO of Battleground AI, an integrated advertising platform built for politics - effortlessly combining data, messaging, and ad creation in one place. Maya is a data-driven marketer with roots in Democratic politics.

In this episode we discuss the tangible ways campaigns are using AI and how they can more fully tap into this emerging technology.

3 Steps to Smarter Political Advertising

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Inside Senator Dave McCormick's Winning Campaign – Mark Harris (ColdSpark)

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Mark Harris, Managing Partner of ColdSpark, a boutique advertising and public affairs firm that specializes in political campaigns and issue advocacy.

In our conversation, we discuss lessons Mark and his team learned from the victorious 2024 Pennsylvania Senate campaign for Senator Dave McCormick.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Get Confirmed By The Senate – Arnold Punaro

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Arnold Punaro, a retired Marine Reserve Major General. For decades he served on Capitol Hill, including as the Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Today he runs the Punaro Group, consults for a broad array of Fortune 100 companies, and has been recognized by Defense News as one of the 100 most influential individuals in US Defense. He’s also the author of “If Confirmed: An Insider’s View of the National Security Confirmation Process.”

In this episode General Punaro takes us behind the scenes of the confirmation process from short lists to nominations to vetting to hearings and Senate votes. So if you want to survive a Senate confirmation hearing someday, take notes!

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Latest News on Tech and Politics

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 06:00:00 -0500

On today’s episode, I’m joined again by my friend Adam Belmar from Advocacy Content Kitchen who produces the Campaign Trend Podcast and we’re discussing some of the latest news from the world of tech and politics. We dig into political ad spending on X, the Left’s X exodus, what’s going on with TikTok, and more.

Stories discussed in this episode:

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Build A Campaign Volunteer Training Program – Abigail Sigler

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Abigail Sigler, Vice President at Baker Group Strategies and the former campaign manager for Senator Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee.

In this episode we’re talking about a unique initiative from Senator Blackburn’s re-election campaign known as “Campaign College”, a training program to train volunteers across the state in the various components of modern campaign strategy from canvassing to analytics.

How Marsha Blackburn used campaign to train new generation of GOP activists (Axios)

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Inside the Podcast Election with Stephen Aaron

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Stephen Aaron, founder of Perspective Strategies. He is also the founder of a voter turnout initiative in 2024 called Vote4America that worked to activate social media influencers and podcasters.

In this episode we dig into the mechanics and strategy of working with social media influencers with an eye towards how everyone - not just presidential candidates - can incorporate this into their campaigns.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

2024 Year-in-Review

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we look back at the key themes from the world of campaigning with highlights from some of our best episodes in 2024.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Polling Insights: Where Voters Are and How to Reach Them – David Kanevsky

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we’re breaking down some key findings from the Center for Campaign Innovation’s 2024 Post-Election Survey. We’re joined by David Kanevsky of 3D Strategic Research who has been conducting this poll since 2020 to share additional insights from this research and helping us understand what they mean for campaigners.

10 Key Takeaways From Our 2024 National Post-Election Survey (CampaignInnovation.org)

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The State of Digital Fundraising – Mike Hahn (Frontline Strategies)

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Mike Hahn is the President of Digital Strategy & Operations at Frontline Strategies. In the 2022 cycle he was the Deputy Digital Director at the NRSC and is an alum of the Trump 2016 and 2020 campaigns where he served as the Director of Social Media. In total, he has raised well over $100 million online for various groups.

In this episode we’re digging into the initial learnings about digital fundraising in 2024 and what the future looks like for the grassroots fundraising space.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Calling Races On Election Night – Scott Tranter (Decision Desk HQ)

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Scott Tranter is Director of Data Science at Decision Desk HQ, the only provider of real-time election results, race calls, and data to cover US elections from the presidency and Congress to the county and city level. We previously spoke with Scott about his experience building and selling his previous company, Optimus.

In this episode we dig into the nuts and bolts of making race calls on Election Night in an accurate and timely manner.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Build An Election Forecast – Chaz Nuttycombe

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Chaz Nuttycombe is director of CNalysis, an election forecasting website and is the first-ever American election outlet that created forecasts for state legislative districts and chambers across the country and remains the sole group dedicated to this work.

In this episode we discuss the process behind building election forecasts, what they mean, and how they’re being used on the campaign trail.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

An Election Month Strategy Shift – Chris Faulkner (Majority Strategies)

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Chris Faulkner who is a Senior National Strategist at Majority Strategies, one of the biggest consulting firms in the political space. Chris spent almost a decade as a Marine before getting into politics and he has worked on a LOT of campaigns.

In this episode we diver further into the mechanics and strategy around early voting and vote by mail in the 2024 Election.

Become a Campaign Trend Insider to support the podcast and get more analysis. Click here to join.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Adapting To A Wild Election Cycle – Jessica Anderson (Sentinel Action Fund)

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Jessica Anderson is President of the Sentinel Action Fund, the only conservative Super PAC with a year-round ground game committed to turning out absentee, early vote, and "day of" voters. She was previously the Executive Director of Heritage Action for America.

In this episode we discuss how Sentinel has adapted to the wildly unpredictable 2024 election, the strategy behind boosting early voting, and the role of personal voter contact.

Click here to become a Campaign Trend Insider.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Platform Politics – Katie Harbath (Duco Experts)

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Katie Harbath is Chief Global Affairs Officer at Duco Experts. From 2011 to 2021, Katie was the Public Policy Director at Facebook where she led global outreach to elected officials, political parties, and campaigners around the world.

In our conversation, we check in on Facebook’s role in the 2024 election.

Anchor Change (newsletter)

Become a Campaign Trend Insider and get even more news and insights. Subscribe here.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Possibilities Of Virtual Production – Matthew Mazzone (Ascent Media)

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Matthew Mazzone a partner at Ascent Media Agency where he leads large scale branding and marketing campaigns. Before getting into agency world, Matt was the Director of Film and Visual Media at the Republican National Committee.

In this episode we’re talking about virtual production – how it works and what it means for political ad makers.

Watch Virtual Production In Action - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AmlMcfxzT8

Become a Campaign Trend Insider to get exclusive content and more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Audio Diary: Meet Campaign Trend

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Enjoy a brief explanation of the thought process and decision making behind this podcast's rebrand.

Become a Campaign Trend Insider to support the podcast and get exclusive content: https://campaigntrend.com/join

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Announcement – Introducing Campaign Trend

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0400

The next time an episode hits your feed, the show will have a new name – the Campaign Trend Podcast. Campaign Trend is a journal at the frontier of political campaigning and the new home for all of the campaign-related content I create – including blog posts, newsletters, and podcasts.

https://campaigntrend.com/

To get a mug, email me: eric@campaigntrend.com

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Referee Of Political Campaigns – Sean Cooksey (FEC)

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Sean Cooksey is Chairman of the Federal Election Commission. The FEC sets the regulations for campaigning at the federal level. To put it bluntly, the business of politics follows their rules and there are real consequences to that. It’s an honor to have Sean on the show. He is former Chief Counsel to Senator Josh Hawley and former Counsel to Senator Ted Cruz. The Senate confirmed Sean as a commissioner in 2020.

In our conversation, we get the insider’s perspective on how the FEC works, what the commission is working on for the 2024 cycle, and how they’re responding to new advancements in technology.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Be A Political Commentator – Doug Heye

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Doug Heye, a strategic communications advisor and political commentator. Doug was the communications director for the Republican National Committee during the 2010 election cycle and on Capitol Hill was Deputy Chief of Staff to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. In our conversation today we go behind the scenes on cable news, how Doug prepares for a hit, and what producers are looking for in a guest.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Insights From The EU Parliament Elections – Armin Petschner-Multari (The Republic)

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Armin Petschner-Multari is a digital campaign expert based in Berlin. He is the founder of The Republic, a think tank promoting center-right policies in Germany.

In today’s episode, we’re digging into the recent European Union elections and what campaigners here in the U.S. can learn.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

From Employee #1 To Owner – Daria Grastara (Direct Persuasion)

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Daria Grastara is CEO of Direct Persuasion, a performance marketing and persuasion advertising agency serving Republican campaigns and issue advocacy organizations. During the 2022 election cycle Daria was Digital Director at the NRSC and she’s also worked on the Trump campaign and at the NRCC.

In our conversation, we discuss the transition in ownership of the firm, that challenges she’s faced as an entrepreneur, and the lessons learned along the way.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Using Email Authentication To Boost Deliverability – Seth Blank (Valimail)

Wed, 29 May 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Seth Blank is the Chief Technology Officer at Valimail, a leading provider of email authentication and anti-impersonation solutions. Seth is also co-chair of the DMARC working group for the Internet Engineering Task Force.

We’ll also talk about Valimail’s outreach to political campaigns and what Seth thinks campaigns can do to send better emails.

The New Requirements for Email Delivery at Gmail

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How The GOP Became The Anti-Tax Party – Grover Norquist (Americans for Tax Reform)

Wed, 15 May 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Grover Norquist, founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform. Since 1985, Grover and ATR have been a fixture of Republican politics, shaping the party’s dedication to cutting taxes. In our conversation, we discuss the origins of ATR, the keys to its long-lasting success, and lessons for other organizational entrepreneurs.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Stacking Content To Beat Media Fragmentation – Zack Roday (Ascent Media)

Wed, 01 May 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Zack Roday, Partner at Ascent Media, he’s been a communicator on Capitol Hill and the campaign trail for many years, including Joe O’Dea for Senate where he was campaign manager, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Republican Attorneys General Association.

In our conversation, we dive into strategies for overcoming the fragmented media and platform landscape and how to create content that cuts through.

Axios: Shards of glass: Inside media's 12 splintering realities

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Convincing Someone To Run For Senate – Jason Thielman (NRSC)

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest is Jason Thielman, Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, where he is tasked with leading the GOP’s efforts to elect more senators in 2024. Jason served as Chief of Staff to Senator Steve Daines prior to his election as NRSC Chairman for the cycle. Jason has a background in both business and politics.

In our conversation today, Jason shares with us the strategy decisions driving the NRSC in 2024, what he thinks about the state of campaigning, and a behind the scenes look at recruiting someone to run for U.S. Senate.

How The NRSC Helps Senate Candidates – Kevin McLaughlin (Common Sense Leadership Fund)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction
00:58 The Lay of the Land for Senate Campaigns in 2024
04:07 The Importance of Early Phase and Candidate Recruitment
05:26 The Challenges of Online Fundraising
07:06 Factors Contributing to the Downturn in Online Fundraising
09:54 Challenges and Priorities as Executive Director of the NRSC
12:33 Pros and Cons of Candidate Recruitment
16:04 Convincing Candidates to Run for Senate
22:45 Balancing Work and Personal Life
25:18 Delegating and Focusing on Strategic Efforts
26:26 Conclusion

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Inside A Modern Campaign Ground Game – Jon Seaton (Camelback Strategy Group)

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Today, we’re talking with Jon Seaton, Managing Partner of Camelback Strategy Group, a full-service political consulting and public affairs firm. Jon was Associate Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush and served as Regional Campaign Manager for Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign. Jon and I dig into the changing nature of the campaign ground game, how data and technology have transformed door knocking, and the rise of paid canvassing.

Takeaways

Technology has revolutionized the campaign ground game, allowing for more effective measurement and targeting of door knocking operations.
Building a modern, effective ground game involves identifying persuadable voters, creating scripts that resonate with them, and maintaining ongoing contact to reinforce messaging.
Canvassing remains a highly effective and personal way to communicate with voters, providing an opportunity for face-to-face conversations and influencing voter decisions.
Paid canvassing has become increasingly popular as it allows campaigns to recruit well-trained canvassers and ensure consistent standards and productivity.
The risks of paid canvassing include potential negative interactions captured on doorbell cameras and the need for careful training and management to maintain a positive campaign image.
The future of campaign ground games involves further advancements in targeting, personalized messaging, and coordination across multiple communication channels.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Experimentation Makes TV Ads More Effective – David Broockman (UC Berkeley)

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 06:00:00 -0400

David Broockman is an associate professor of political science at UC Berkeley. He is the co-author of a study published in the American Political Science Review last month titled “How Experiments Help Campaigns Persuade Voters: Evidence from a Large Archive of Campaigns’ Own Experiments.” In our conversation, we discuss the research and learn what campaigners should do in light of the findings.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Campaigns Can Tap into the Creator Economy – Kurt Luidhardt (Prosper Group)

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Kurt Luidhardt, co-founder of the Prosper Group, one of the leading digital strategy firms for Republicans. Kurt and his team have worked for candidates across the country, including Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and many more.

In today's episode, we're talking about the future of digital strategy, online fundraising, and what recent shifts in tactics mean for a new path forward for creating content to engage supporters.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Origin of Dimpled Chads – Patrick Wohl (Down Ballot)

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest is Patrick Wohl, author of the new book Down Ballot: How A Local Campaign Became a national referendum on abortion. Patrick is a Washington, DC-based public affairs professional and also has extensive experience on the campaign trail up and down the ballot.

In our conversation, we discuss the small race that became a big deal, the long-term impact of the outcome, and we even dig into the book publishing industry.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Key Takeaways From Virginia's 2023 Elections – Survey Webinar

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Today we’re sharing the audio from a recent webinar hosted by the Center for Campaign Innovation discussing the 2023 Virginia Post Election Survey they did with the State Government Leadership Foundation. The full survey, including the slides referenced in the discussion are available at the link in our show notes.

The webinar was moderated by Eric Wilson and participants were David Kanevsky from 3D Strategic Research and Peter Barnes from the State Government Leadership Foundation, co-sponsor of the survey.

Our discussion focuses on three main highlights from the poll: the perception of the abortion debate in voters’ minds, the effect of renewed Republican early voting efforts, and the status of social media and digital streaming platforms.

Visit CampaignInnovation.org for the slides referenced.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Rules Of The Road For AI In Political Ads – Scott Brennen (University of North Carolina)

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Scott Brennen, head of online expression policy at the University of North Carolina’s Center on Technology Policy. He and his colleagues recently published a set of policy frameworks for political ads in the age of artificial intelligence. We discuss the current state of AI in political ads, what should be done about it, and recommendations for protecting voters from the harms of AI in political ads.

A policy framework to govern the use of generative AI in political ads

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

A TikTok-fueled Victory In New Zealand – Sean Topham (Topham Guerin)

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0500

Today we’re joined by Sean Topham, co-founder of Topham Guerin, a global creative and digital agency. Sean and his team have worked on campaigns around the world, from Australia to the UK, where they’re always bringing cutting edge, envelope pushing creative ideas to the table.

Sean’s fresh off a big win in his native New Zealand where TikTok played a major role in the political conversation. We learn more about the New Zealand National Party’s victory, what Sean and his team learned about tiktok, and how conservatives can apply these lessons in the united states.

The digital campaign that rewrote NZ's political playbook

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

2023 Year In Review: Digital, Tech & Politics

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode, we’re taking a look back at the stories that shaped the world of digital politics in 2023 and are setting the trends as we head into 2024. These are the stories I drew from Learn Test Optimize, my weekly newsletter on all things digital politics. Subscribe at LearnTestOptimize.com if you aren’t already.

I’m joined today by Mitchell Porwoll, Digital Strategist at Invictus Strategies, a new fundraising firm. He was previously head of marketing at WinRed.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

PoliSci for Campaigners – Bob Maranto (University of Arkansas)

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest is Bob Maranto, he’s the 21st Century Chair in Leadership in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas. He’s a founding member of the Society for Open Inquiry in the Behavioral Sciences. In our conversation today we discuss the field of political science and the effect of polarization in academia on political science.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

AI For President – Robert Moran (Lincoln 2.0)

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Robert Moran. He’s a futurist, a management consultant, and a pollster. He began his career in political consulting and polling. He recently wrote a fascinating article at Campaigns & Elections about a thought experiment where an AI runs for office.

In our conversation, we dive deeper into his vision of an AI politician, what it would mean for our politics, and more near-term impacts of AI in campaigns.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Future Of Online Fundraising – Ryan Lyk (WinRed)

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 06:00:00 -0500

**Support the Business of Politics Show by becoming a member for just $10 per month (click here)**

Today we’re speaking with Ryan Lyk, CEO of WinRed, the official secure payments technology designed to help Republican candidates and committees raise more money and win. Since launching in 2019, WinRed has processed more than three billion dollars. Ryan has been with WinRed from day one and became CEO in March of this year. Before that he worked on the agency side helping candidates with their digital campaigns.

During our conversation we learn about WinRed’s latest features, what campaigns can do to take advantage of them, and what Ryan sees on the horizon for online fundraising.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Metrics and Innovation in Political Recruitment – Sylvie Légère (Candidate Pathways)

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Sylvie Légère is a civic leader, social entrepreneur, and advocate for women in Leadership. She’s the founder of Candidate Pathways, a software platform to help political organizations with candidate recruitment by building, tracking, and developing a pipeline of candidates to run for office.

In our conversation we discuss the challenges of candidate recruitment, how software can help political organizations tackle the problem, and what Sylvie’s learned about the business of politics with Candidate Pathways.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Sun Tzu's Advice For Campaigners – Caitlin Huxley (Huxley Strategies)

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 06:00:00 -0400

We’re joined today by Caitlin Huxley, a campaign strategist, certified project manager, and history buff with a passion for empowering new candidates to overcome challenges and achieve success in their campaigns. She’s also an author, and her new book is Ancient Wisdom for Modern Campaigns: Lessons from Sun Tzu’s Art of War.

In our show today, we dig into why this text is still relevant thousands of years after being written, what campaigners can take away from Sun Tzu’s most famous sayings, and where strategy and tactics meet on the trail.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Politics Of Programmatic Advertising [LIVE]

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 06:00:00 -0400

We’re diving into the current state of affairs for political programmatic advertising. Where do major tech platforms stand in terms of their policies on campaign ads, what alternatives exist, and what can campaigners do to prepare for further disruptions?

Joining us to discuss this and more is Matt Hedberg, the COO of RepublicanAds.com – our sponsor for this episode. Republican Ads is the only self-service voter targeted digital advertising platform built for conservatives by conservatives. We interviewed co-founder Andy Yates during an earlier episode of the podcast – listen here.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Building Audiences and Content in the Political Media Industry – Bubba Atkinson (Monarch Media Ventures)

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 06:00:00 -0400

**RSVP for Business of Politics Show LIVE**

Bubba Atkinson is Co-founder of Monarch Media Ventures, a digital media consulting and video production firm. He was employee number 10 at Axios where he led audience growth and video strategy. Prior to that, he was editor in chief of IJ Review, the viral political news website.

In our conversation, we discuss the state of news media, audience building, and what you need to know to succeed in today’s content landscape.

Click here to learn more about One Dollar News.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How The Iowa Caucuses Work [LIVE]

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 06:00:00 -0400

This episode was recorded during a live, in-person event on Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

Click here to RSVP for our next in-person event on Tuesday, October 3 in Washington, DC.

In this episode we discuss the Iowa Caucuses – the first nominating contest in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. We’ll dig into what they are, how they work, and what candidates need to do to win.

We’re joined by two Iowa natives and experts: David Kochel and Nicole Schlinger.

David is the owner of Redwave Communications, a Des Moines-based, political and public affairs firm. He’s who you want to have on your team if you want to win in Iowa – that’s included six presidential campaigns!

Nicole is the President of Campaign HQ, a Brooklyn, Iowa -based phone call and texting firm that has a client roster as long as your arm from across the country. She’s been a part of four Iowa Presidential campaigns and is one of the few Iowa operatives with both an Iowa Straw Poll and Iowa Caucus win under her belt.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Using AI To Make Better Informed Citizens – Paul Allen (Citizen Portal)

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Paul Allen, founder of Citizen Portal, an AI-powered platform that helps citizens, elected leaders and other stakeholders be informed and engaged in our representative democracy. He’s also the co-founder and former CEO of Ancestry.com. He’s also served as the chief evangelist for Gallup’s Strengths finder. In our show today, we learn more about Citizen Portal and what's drawn Paul to the political space for his next company.

Visit BusinessOfPoliticsPodcast.com/join to become a supporter of the show.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Building An Audience With Impact – Michael Duncan (Ruthless Podcast)

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re talking with Michael Duncan, a founding partner at Cavalry, an issue management firm that works with Fortune 500 companies, trade association, political and non-profit clients. He’s had an extensive career in digital campaigning, but he’s also the host of the Ruthless Podcast, which has taken the GOP political world by storm over the last 3 years. They were just tapped to provide the pre-game coverage for the first Republican presidential debate this year. In our conversation, we talk about the growth of the podcast, what lessons he’s learned as a content creator, and how he thinks more campaigns can embrace the power of audience building.

Support the Business of Politics Show by becoming a member of the Startup Caucus Network. Click here to join now.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Explainer: Programmatic Digital Advertising For Politics (Jordan Lieberman & Kate Holliday – Powers Interactive))

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 06:00:00 -0400

*** NEW: Visit BusinessOfPoliticsPodcast.com/join to become a supporter of the show. ***

This episode is all about programmatic digital advertising in the political space. You’ll learn more about how it works, the risks and benefits, and what new technology is doing to make it more efficient – especially for political campaigns.

To guide us on this discussion, we’re joined by a pair of industry experts from Powers Interactive, a programmatic media company. Jordan Lieberman is the CEO and he boasts a long career in the political advertising industry as does Kate Holliday, VP for Political and Public Affairs.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Campaign Branding For 2024 – Hunter Schwarz (Yello)

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 06:00:00 -0400

We’re talking with Hunter Schwarz, a journalist whose Yello website chronicles everything related to politics and design. He’s been a reporter at CNN, the Washington Post, IJ Review, and Buzzfeed. In this episode, we discuss the role of branding in modern politics, what he thinks about the 2024 Republican logos, and the design trends he hopes cross over into politics.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Breaking Down Presidential Campaigns' Email Strategies – Josh Klemons (Reverbal Communications)

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 06:00:00 -0400

We’re joined today by Josh Klemons a Digital Storyteller/Strategist and the founder of Reverbal Communications, helping progressive campaigns, organizations and brands of all shapes and sizes find, hone and tell their stories online.

Our conversation today is about the state of email marketing in the 2024 Republican primary and Josh has an interesting outsider’s perspective as a Democrat and he wrote a blog post where he assessed all of the 2024 Republican contenders’ email campaigns. We dig into what he’s looking for, what trends he’s spotted, and what he thinks down ballot campaigns should take or leave from presidential campaign email strategy.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Making Campaign Creative Budgets Go Further – Danny Laub (Poolhouse)

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 06:00:00 -0400

This episode is all about how campaigns can create media for their ad campaigns on a low budget. Despite an increase in political spending – especially when it comes to media – the need for campaigns to create content is growing every day. So campaigns of all sizes need to think about how they balance output and costs. Our focus today is going to be on video creative since it’s the most in demand and the most costly.

To help us understand, we’re joined by Danny Laub, a partner at Poolhouse, who serves as a key political advisor and media consultant for Republican campaigns across the country.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Meet The AI Writing Campaign Fundraising Emails – Mike Nellis (Quiller)

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Mike Nellis is the founder & CEO of Authentic, a digital-first fundraising and advertising agency with an impressive list of Democratic clients, including President Joe Biden. Mike was an advisor to then Senator Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign in 2020 and he’s a serial entrepreneur. His latest company is Quiller, an AI copilot that helps Democratic campaigns and allied organizations draft and deploy high quality, effective fundraising content.

In our conversation we learn about Mike’s journey launching Quiller, some strategic decisions he made along the way, and his advice for other entrepreneurs building with AI.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Podcasting, Politics and Connection – Adam Belmar (Advocacy Content Kitchen)

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Adam Belmar, founder of Advocacy Content Kitchen, a media production studio catering to organizations with important stories to tell. Adam has a background in journalism – he was a Senior Producer on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. He went on to serve President George W Bush as Deputy Director of the Office of White House Communications. After the White House, Adam has been working with a lengthy roster of corporations, non profits, and trade associations advising them on their content and communications strategies. He's also the producer of the Business of Politics Show.

In our conversation we dig into how podcasts are becoming an important medium for the public affairs industry, how to get into podcasting, and what makes a podcast effective.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Innovating in the Halls of Power – Caleb Smith (Office of the Speaker)

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Business of Politics Show, host Eric Wilson is joined by Caleb Smith, the Digital Communications Director for the Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. Caleb discusses the critical role technology plays in political communication, emphasizing the importance of audience engagement and adaptability in messaging. He talks about the challenges of staying up-to-date with emerging social platforms and expresses enthusiasm for the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in political storytelling.

The conversation also delves into the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) in content creation, with a focus on both the efficiencies it can bring and the concerns around deep fakes. Caleb shares how AI is currently being used in the Speaker's office for tasks such as transcription and embedding captions in videos. The episode concludes with Caleb recounting personal anecdotes, including his marriage proposal on the balcony of the Capitol. Throughout the discussion, Caleb’s insights reflect his commitment to effectively communicating the Speaker's messages to the American public by leveraging technology.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Use The Internet To Win Elections – Colin Delany (ePolitics.com)

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Fire up your dial up modems because we’re going old school today – our guest first started working in digital politics back in the 1990s. Colin Delany is the founder of epolitics.com, an award-winning website covering the field of digital politics and online advocacy. He’s also a digital strategist and consultant for campaigns and non profits. Colin is out with the 2023 edition of his book – How to Use The Internet to Change the World and Win Elections

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Campaigns Are Using AI For Copywriting & Creative – Brian Athey (Push Digital)

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Business of Politics Show, host Eric Wilson engages in a conversation with Brian Athey, Chief Creative Officer at Push Digital, a renowned digital agency in Republican politics. The discussion revolves around the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) in the creative realm of politics. Brian shares concrete examples of how AI is currently being employed for various campaign creative tasks, and explores the potential of AI in scaling ideas and accelerating productivity. The episode delves into the limitations of AI in graphic design tasks and emphasizes the importance of human creativity and authenticity in political campaigns.

Episode Highlights:

AI as a Tool for Task Performance: Brian explains that AI should be viewed as a tool to delegate repetitive tasks, aiming to expedite processes and enhance ideation. By conditioning AI with specific instructions and formulaic patterns, it can generate a multitude of variations quickly and efficiently.
Scaling Ideas with AI: Eric and Brian discuss the role of AI in scaling creative ideas. They highlight how AI, such as chat GPT, can assist in generating content, questions, and solutions, thereby accelerating the creative process and offering new perspectives.
The Limitations of Visual AI Outputs: While AI can assist in generating logos, brand concepts, and marketing copy, Brian emphasizes that AI-generated outputs may lack authenticity and quality. Human creativity and intuition remain essential in refining and executing ideas effectively.
The Gray Area of Ethics in AI: The conversation delves into the ethical considerations surrounding AI in campaign creativity. Brian acknowledges the gray area in determining ethical boundaries and the potential for AI-generated media to mislead the public. Eric emphasizes the importance of disclosure when using AI-generated content to maintain transparency.
Tools for AI-driven Creativity: Brian mentions several tools, including Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, and Motion, that leverage AI to streamline creative processes. These tools offer features such as photo editing, video editing, transcribing, and automating marketing cycles.
The Future of AI in Politics: Eric and Brian discuss the future implications of AI in politics. They raise concerns about content saturation, loss of authenticity, and the need to engage voters meaningfully. Balancing the efficiency of AI with ethical considerations remains a challenge in the industry.

Conclusion:
The episode concludes with insights into the intersection of AI and political campaign creativity. Brian emphasizes the potential of AI as a powerful tool to expedite tasks, scale ideas, and automate processes. However, he also highlights the importance of human creativity, intuition, and authenticity in delivering impactful campaigns. The conversation raises ethical questions about the responsible use of AI in political campaigns and the need for transparency in AI-generated content.

Additional Resources:

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to the Business of Politics Show on your favorite podcast platform. Stay updated by signing up for email notifications at businessofpoliticspodcast.com.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Science of Political Persuasion – Adam Schaeffer (Evolving Strategies)

Wed, 31 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Adam Schaeffer is founder and chief behavioral scientist of Evolving Strategies, a behavioral science and data analytics firm using experiments and AI to modify voter behavior. He has a PhD from the University of Virginia and has done stints at AEI and Cato. In our conversation we learn more about what the Left is doing with behavioral science, what Republicans can do to catch up, and how new tech can help make political advertising more effective.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Proposing A GOP Tech "Manhattan Project" – Jason Belich

Wed, 24 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

We’re joined today by Jason Belich, a coder, systems architect, and technologist based in San Francisco with over 25 years of experience developing mission-critical architectures and systems. He recently wrote about the need for a Republican Tech Manhattan Project to win in 2024 and beyond. In our conversation we dig into the Left’s advantage in Big Tech, what the Right is missing, and how we can fix it.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

What Campaigners Need To Know About AI – Tom Newhouse (Convergence Media)

Wed, 17 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re talking with Tom Newhouse, VP of Digital Marketing at Convergence Media. Tom has had a lengthy career in digital campaigning. He was formerly the Digital Director at the National Republican Congressional Committee and for the last six years he’s been leading digital efforts for Convergence’s roster of candidates, PACs, and organization. We’re talking Artificial Intelligence today. Why is it in the news, how is it being used in politics, and what do political professionals need to know about this exciting new technology?

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

What Do We Do About Online Fundraising? (Audio Essay)

Wed, 10 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

I wanted to share with you a modified version of a talk I gave recently at Campaigns & Elections Campaign Tech conference here in DC. It was informed by many of the conversations you’ve already heard on the show and I wanted to share with you how I’ve synthesized those into a way forward for political online fundraising.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Build A Disruptive Political Business – Michael Beach (Cross Screen Media)

Wed, 03 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Michael Beach, CEO of Cross Screen Media, a leading CTV activation managed service for marketers and agencies. Before starting Cross Screen he was one of the co-founders of Targeted Victory and he had an extensive political career in the field prior to that. In our conversation we dig into the nuts and bolts of building a business on the cutting edge of political technology.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

What About Improving Major Donor Fundraising? – Dante Vitagliano (Trailmapper)

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re welcoming Dante Vitagliano back to the show. He’s the founder of Trailmapper whose software helps Republican campaigns upgrade their major-donor fundraising program. We last spoke to Dante in December 2021 (listen here). In this episode we’re getting caught up on his progress, hearing his lessons learned, and sharing advice for new entrepreneurs.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Conversation: Inside Democrats' Tech Playbook

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Today’s conversation is all about the state of campaign tech on the Left. Higher Ground Labs, the Democrats’ startup ecosystem hub, recently released their annual Political Tech Landscape Report which you’ll find linked in the show notes. If you’ve ever seen the very crowded chart of all the tech Democratic campaigns use, you know this report. We’re digging into the report and sharing key insights about this rare glimpse into what the other side is working on.

Our guests:

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Launch Your Presidential Campaign – Terry Sullivan (Firehouse Strategies)

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Terry Sullivan, partner at Firehouse Strategies, a leading public affairs firm, but for the purposes of our conversation today, Terry was the campaign manager of Senator Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign where he also had the honor of being my boss. He’s played a senior strategic role in more than 100 campaigns from the bottom of the ballot all the way to the top.

In today’s episode we’re talking about presidential primary announcement season which is well underway. What preparations are candidates making, why are they so coy when everyone knows they’re running, and what comes next? We dive into all that and more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Towards A More Ethical Fundraising Culture – John Hall (Apex Strategies)

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is John Hall, partner at Apex Strategies, a new firm focused on building sustainable fundraising programs. Prior to starting his own firm, he was President of Targeted Victory where he collected over 48 million individual contributions and raised more than $1.5 billion. In our conversation, you’ll learn why it’s so critical for Republicans to narrow the online fundraising gap, what’s changed in the digital campaigning landscape, and some ideas for how to move forward.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Complex World of Digital Advertising – Shannon Chatlos (Strategic Partners & Media)

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Shannon Chatlos of Strategic Partners & Media, a full-service advertising and consulting agency based in Annapolis, Maryland. Shannon leads the firm’s digital team serving clients that include political campaigns, associations, advocacy clients, and corporations. In this episode we discuss the evolving paid media landscape online, how it’s changing the way campaigns are run, and her advice for selling into the political industry.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Explainer: Social Listening – Zack Condry (Echo)

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0400

We’re doing a deep dive into the topic of social listening on this episode. For those of us working in the public affairs and political space, we want to know what’s being said about our candidates, policy issues, and more. But the challenge is there’s so much data and so much noise that it’s hard to separate what matters. That’s where social listening comes in.

To help us understand, we’re joined by Zack Condry, founder of Echo, a data-focused digital corporate communications firm that helps companies mitigate risk and dampen complex issues affecting their reputation. Zack started his career in the political campaign world before transition to public affairs and corporate communications.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Explainer: Connected TV (CTV) Advertising (Keith Norman – Premion)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0400

After listening to this episode, you’ll know all about connected TV advertising for campaigns. While broadcast TV ad budgets continue to grow on campaigns, more voters are watching streaming services – many of which are ad-supported – so campaigners are shifting their budgets.

Keith Norman, head of political sales at Premion, is going to be our expert guide today. He has an extensive resume in ad sales and the media industry. He’s also worked at Univision, Politico, and NBC. Premion is an industry leader in the connected TV advertising space with national reach on their premium inventory. We discuss strategies for targeting and creative, how to measure success, and what to do if you haven’t started CTV advertising.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Dissecting Republican Digital Campaign Culture – Amanda Elliott (Doomscroll)

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0500

We’re joined today by Amanda Elliott, a political digital strategist and author of the Doomscroll, a newsletter about the world of digital politics on the Right. Previously she was Digital Director at the Republican Governors Association and she’s been innovating in the digital campaign space for more than a decade. In our conversation today, you’ll learn more about the RGA, the unique challenges of gubernatorial campaigns, what she’s learning as a newsletter writer, and what to look out for in presidential campaign launches.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Explainer: Political Text Messaging (Jack Bobin)

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0500

This episode is all about political text messaging. Why are campaigns turning to this old-school tech as a reliable method for getting out the vote and raising money? How do campaigns tap into the power of texting without becoming annoying? We’re digging into all that and much more.

To help us understand, we’re joined by Jack Bobin, Head of Business Development and Partnerships at Tatango, an industry leader in political text messaging. Jack has spent the last 5 years helping political agencies and campaigns understand the SMS marketing landscape. Before that, he was at AT&T for nearly a decade.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Shaping The Washington Conversation With Digital – Tyler Brown (Hadron Strategies)

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Tyler Brown, he’s the president of Hadron Strategies, a digital public affairs agency. He was formerly the Director of Digital Strategy at the Republican National Committee where he worked for four election cycles. In our conversation we dig into the differences between digital marketing for campaigns and public affairs.

This episode is sponsored by Campaign HQ. If you’re looking for a team that moves at the speed of politics like you do, search no further than Campaign HQ. For more than 20 years they’ve been a trusted partner for winning campaigns and conservative organizations to deliver millions of effective voter ID, persuasion, patch through, and get out the vote calls and texts. They’re giving away their best script writing secrets to listeners of the Business of Politics Show. Just go to campaign-headquarters.com/podcast to get your copy right now.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Way Forward For Online Campaign Fundraising – Ken Mika (Politicoin)

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Ken Mika is the CEO of Politicoin, a new digital fundraising firm. Ken was previously director of email marketing at the RNC during the 2020 cycle and he’s worked on a number of campaigns with a focus on fundraising. In our conversation today, we look forward to what’s next for the fundraising landscape in 2024.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Explainer: What Is The RNC? (Saul Anuzis)

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0500

This episode is all about the Republican National Committee - the RNC - what it is, who’s on the committee, and the organizations role within the broader Republican party.

To help us understand, we’re joined by Saul Anuzis, managing partner of Coast to Coast Strategies and president of the 60 Plus Association, the conservative alternative to AARP. He was chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from 2005-2009. He ran for chairman of the RNC in 2009 and 2011. He also served as Michigan’s National Committeeman so he has valuable insight into the inner workings of the party.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Asking "Impolite Questions" Post 2022 – Ron Nehring

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Ron Nehring. His extensive resume includes former Chairman of the California Republican Party, he was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor and he was national spokesman for Senator Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign. In our conversation we dig into his post-election takeaways and where Republicans can improve before 2024.

For Republicans reviewing 2022, time to ask the impolite questions (TheHill.com)

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Explainer: How Early Voting Works

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Today, we’re digging into a topic that’s on everyone’s mind after the 2022 midterm elections and that’s the mechanics of absentee and early voting – which for short hand most people refer to as “AB/EV” and we’ll do for the rest of the show.

To help us understand all of the ins and outs is someone who has a lot of experience with get out the vote operations. Matt Dailer was most recently campaign manager for Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. He was previously Deputy Political Director at the Republican National Committee and Executive Director of the West Virginia GOP.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Measuring The Competitive Paid Media Landscape – Adam Wise (National Media)

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Adam Wise is a Senior Vice President at National Media Research, Planning & Placement, where he helps clients develop and execute paid advertising campaigns. In this episode we dig into the challenge of measuring digital ad spend, how to build media plans in a fragmented landscape, and what campaigns can do to better integrate their paid campaign into other efforts.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Conversation: The State of Online Campaign Fundraising

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 06:00:00 -0500

On today’s episode, we’re having a free-flowing discussion about the current status of online fundraising for campaigns. We’ve seen recent polls confirm what we know anecdotally that voters - not just activists - are getting burnt out by aggressive fundraising tactics. What should political professionals do with this information?

To answer that question and more, we’re joined by two experienced digital political operatives who have helped candidates, PACs, and non-profits raise millions of dollars online.

Ian Hines is a Republican digital strategist who specializes in fundraising for state parties.

Allen Fuller is the Founder of Flat Creek, an advocacy and technology firm. He’s been doing digital campaigning since we called them “e-campaigns.”

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

What Voters Think About Fundraising Emails – Josh Nelson (Civic Shout)

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Josh Nelson is the CEO of Civic Shout whose motto is “surprisingly easy email & SMS acquisition for your progressive cause or campaign”. He’s a vocal critic of the status quo when it comes to online fundraising practices on the Right and the Left. Civic Shout just released a poll that asked Democratic and Democratic leaning Independents view email and SMS fundraising by campaigns. We dig into that poll in our conversation and learn more about the better way forward for campaign marketing.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Explainer: Money & Politics

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0500

This episode is all about money and politics. We dig into the different sources of money that flow into the industry, who they go to, how they are used, and what all of this means for political professionals building businesses in the industry. To keep things simple, we’re going to speak about federal election spending because all 50 states are different.

To help us understand, we’re joined by Michael Ahrens, a Senior Vice President at Bullpen Strategy Group. He was the Communications Director at the Republican National Committee and has a background in communications and research. Michael has also been involved in fundraising and as a strategic advisor to major donors.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Republicans "Old School" Campaign – Kyle Tharp (FWIW Media)

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0500

We’re digging into all of the data and spending numbers for digital campaigning in the 2022 midterms with Kyle Tharp, Managing Editor of FWIW Media. He writes the FWIW newsletter and has a long resume working for non-profits and technology companies on the left, including ACRONYM and NGP-VAN. Kyle and his team have been fastidiously tracking the metrics for digital campaigns across the country and his newsletters are must-reads.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

What Americans Should Know About European Campaigns – Juri Schnöller (Cosmonauts & Kings)

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Juri Schnöller is co-founder of Cosmonauts & Kings, Germany’s premiere digital political communications agency. He’s worked on campaigns for German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claud Juncker. Juri is at the cutting edge of innovation in EU politics and has also recently launched his own software platform Civical. In our conversation, we talk about the differences between US campaigns and European campaigns, what he’s learned from the 2022 midterms, and how he drives innovation in German politics.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Good luck on Election Day!

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0400

No new episode this week, but some words of encouragement.

If you're looking for something to listen to, here are some recommendations:

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Inside The World Of Political Prediction Markets – Alex Keeney (Star Spangled Gamblers)

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Alex Keeney founder of Star Spangled Gamblers, a podcast and website about the world of political prediction markets. Founded in 2018, it’s the hub for the political gambling community. In today’s episode, you’ll learn about this controversial world of betting on politics, how predictors make their decisions, and how political professionals might derive insights from these markets.

Political prediction markets involve real risk and none of what we discuss in this episode should be considered financial advice.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Bringing Digital Advertising Into Reach For Campaigns Of All Sizes – Andy Yates (Republican Ads)

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Andy Yates is co-founder of Republican Ads, a self-service digital advertising platform built for GOP campaigns. He’s had a long background in running political efforts. In this conversation, we learn more about the political advertising space, his entrepreneurial journey, and what we can expect to see in the upcoming midterms.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Money Talks...If You Know How To Listen – Stephen Aaron (527 Tracker)

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re joined by Stephen Aaron, the founder of 527 Tracker, a new website that aggregates, analyzes, and alerts users to Super PAC spending in real-time. He also runs Perspective Strategies, a public affairs firm based in Washington, DC. He’s got a long background in the policy and communications side of politics. In our conversation we learn more about what 527 Tracker is seeing ahead of the midterms, how Stephen became an entrepreneur, and what he’s learned from building software.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Tracking The Spending Of The $9.8 Billion Midterm Elections – Kyle Roberts (AdImpact)

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Kyle Roberts, CEO of AdImpact joins us on the show today to discuss the latest spending data around political advertising in the 2022 midterms, the trends underlying the numbers, and his strategies for selling software in the political industry.

AdImpact’s 2022 Midterm Projections Spending Report

Remember to subscribe to the Business of Politics Show wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode. You can also signup for email updates on our website at BusinessOfPoliticsPodcast.com.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

A Candidate's Lessons Learned From Running For Office – Matthew Foldi

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re talking with Matthew Foldi, conservative journalist and former Congressional candidate for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District. We dig into his experience as a candidate and gain insights about how he scaled his startup campaign.

Follow him on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/MatthewFoldi

Leave a review, get a mug!
When you leave a review of the show on Apple Podcasts, send me an email: eric@startupcaucus.com and I'll send you one of our official show mugs.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Embracing Cryptocurrency Voters – Tyler Whirty (HODLpac)

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re talking with Tyler Whirty (@twhirty_), founder of HODLpac, a PAC for crypto voters that is also a crypto-native organization and community governed. Don’t worry if you don’t know what some of these words mean, we dive into more about the organization, what crypto voters want, and a quick intro to the industry.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit BusinessOfPoliticsPodcast.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Incorporating Props & Symbols Into TV Ads – Casey Phillips (Hereford Agency)

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Casey Phillips, principal at the Hereford Agency. He’s written and produced more than a thousand political television and radio ads across all 50 states. He’s worked at the NRCC and RLSC and serves as a general consultant on campaigns. He’s also written and produced a feature documentary called “Win, Lose, or Draw Straws” about the way different ties are resolved in elections. We talk about what goes into an effective TV ad, what it takes to cut through the noise in today’s crowded media landscape, and what happens in the final weeks of a campaign.

Visit BusinessOfPoliticsPodcast.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Building Software To Solve Your Own Challenges – Joe Mansour (Speak4)

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re speaking with Joe Mansour, founder and CEO of Speak4, a new advocacy platform that makes it simpler for organizations to empower their supporter to speak up for the causes they believe in. Before making the leap to entrepreneur, Joe has had a long career in digital campaigns and advocacy. In our conversation we discuss what led him to build Speak4, what he’s learned making the switch, and the results of a new case study.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Online Fundraising Software For Donors – Marcus Tetwiler (Sprinkle)

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Marcus Tetwiler, CEO of Sprinkle. It’s a new political tech startup that connects grassroots donors with candidates aligned with their values. In our conversation we discuss the state of online fundraising and the challenges of campaign tech startups.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The People Who Make Politics Happen – Daniel Laurison (Swarthmore College)

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Daniel Laurison is an associate professor of sociology at Swarthmore College, the associate editor of the British Journal of Sociology and a Carnegie Fellow. He researches and writes on social class and political inequality. He’s out with a new book that I’ve really enjoyed reading called Producing Politics: Inside The Exclusive Campaign World Where the Privileged Few Shape Politics For All Of Us. We talk about his own campaign experiences, what he learned from his research, and how campaigns can become more effective organizations.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

A Solution For Crowded Primaries – David Kanevsky (3D Strategic Research)

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is David Kanevsky of 3D Strategic Research. He’s a data-driven strategist with a long career at organizations like the NRSC and the RSLC as well as experience as a campaign manager. David and I recently collaborated on a poll in two Virginia congressional districts to understand the effects of ranked choice voting in primary contests. In our conversation we discuss the poll, what we learned, and more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Voter Data As A Utility – Jon Black (Data Trust)

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re joined by Jon Black, CEO of Data Trust, the leading provider of voter and electoral data to Republican and conservative campaigns, parties, and advocacy organizations. Prior to taking the helm at Data Trust, Jon worked with the Republican National Committee as a Regional Political Director and Director of Turnout & Targeting. In our conversation, we discuss the unique role Data Trust plays in the GOP ecosystem, the challenges of maintaining a national voter file, and what data he looks to for campaign decision making.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Training For Political Campaigns – Stephen Rowe (Leadership Institute)

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Stephen Rowe, Director of Digital Training at the Leadership Institute. The Leadership Institute is the premier training organization on the Right and Stephen runs their online training. He’s trained more than 18,000 activists both online and off. In our conversation today, we learn more about LI’s approach to training, why it’s essential for effective operatives to grow their skills, and how to find the right training.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Knowing What's On Every Ballot – Alex Niemczewski (BallotReady)

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Alex Niemczewski is the CEO of BallotReady, an online voter guide to local elections. They’re building the infrastructure for voters to be informed in every election that matters to them. BallotReady is venture back and has raised nearly $3 million to date. In our conversation today, we discuss the challenge of collecting election data, how Alex educates investors about the industry, and how BallotReady stays nonpartisan.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Survive Crises In Business And Politics – Wesley Donehue (Push Digital)

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re speaking with Wesley Donehue, founder of Push Digital and the Laurens Group. He works with candidates, political committees, issue advocacy groups, and corporations on crisis communications, brand reputations, and digital strategy. Wesley is the author of the just released book Under Fire: 13 Rules for Surviving Cancel Culture and Other Crises.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Startup Caucus Helps Entrepreneurs Succeed (Audio Diary)

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Every startup comes with unique challenges, but campaign tech startups must overcome the added difficulty of the politics of politics. We built Startup Caucus to help entrepreneurs overcome these barriers more effectively, efficiently, and affordably to fast-track innovation into the field to help Republicans win more elections.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

What It Takes To Build A Winning Campaign Website – Ryan Rodgers (The Strategy Group Co.)

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Ryan Rodgers, President of the Strategy Group Company, a Columbus, Ohio-based political firm that specializes in media and advertising for political campaigns. They’ve worked for just about everybody. Ryan has a background in campaigns and entrepreneurship. In our conversation we discuss the importance of websites for campaigns, what works, and how campaigns can make better decisions about their online presence.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Training Artificial Intelligence To Monitor Local Government – Jeremy Becker (Cloverleaf AI)

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Jeremy Becker joins us on the show today. He’s the co-founder and CEO of Cloverleaf AI. Their product helps customers access local government meetings virtually and create actionable insights based on the data collected. In our conversation we discuss why Jeremy chose this space, how the Techstars accelerator helped his company and what has surprised him about the political industry.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Bringing Presidential Campaign-style Tech Down Ballot – Brad Parscale (Campaign Nucleus)

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Brad Parscale is our guest today. He’s the founder of Campaign Nucleus, a software platform to help campaigns break down data silos and connect with other apps in the campaign tech ecosystem. He was an integral part of the campaign team that helped Donald Trump win in 2016 and he was campaign manager for the re-election campaign for more than two years. In our conversation today, we discuss the reason campaigns face data silos and why breaking them down is so important, how he's making the switch to building a product business, and what he thinks Republicans need to be doing to be more competitive.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Getting Inside Voters' Heads – Rich Thau (Engagious)

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re joined by Rich Thau, president of Engagious, a leader in dial test focus groups that shape messaging and strategy around corporate and issue advocacy projects. For the last 20 years, Rich has been in the room helping clients test, refine, and improve the content they create to persuade voters, customers, viewers, and even jurors. In our conversation today, we discuss the dial testing process, what swing voters think, and how to ask better questions.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Organizational Effectiveness for Politics – Kate Faherty (Empower Strategies)

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Kate Faherty, CEO of Empower Strategies which is a recruitment, people operations and organizational effectiveness consulting firm for political firms and organizations. Before starting her own firm, she was head of digital operations for the Republican National Committee during the 2020 election. Just to give you some context, that was a team of 187 employees. In today’s episode we discuss the reasons political operatives aren’t always good managers, what Gen Z expects from a career, and how Kate stays organized.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Social Media & Politics Podcast: Political Tech Incubators in American Digital Campaigning

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 06:00:00 -0400

I recently joined Michael Bossetta on the Social Media & Politics Podcast to discuss Startup Caucus and the role of technology in U.S. politics.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Building An MVP With Low-Code Tools – Jonathan Gallegos (GOP Jobs)

Wed, 25 May 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Jonathan Gallegos, founder of GOP Jobs, a curated job board of the best jobs and freelancers in conservative and right-leaning politics. Before founding GOP Jobs, Jonathan worked in the White House as Director of Digital Content. He has experience from Capitol Hill and corporate America.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Run A Data-Driven Super PAC – Luke Thompson (Cerberus Strategies)

Wed, 18 May 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re speaking with Luke Thompson, co-founder of Cerberus Strategies. He’s a political strategist with a deep background in data. Luke has done work for the NRSC, the Jeb Bush Super PAC, and Applecart. In our conversation we dive into his latest campaign in the Ohio GOP Senate primary, how he approaches decision making, and the ways he thinks technology is shifting politics.

A mole hunt, a secret website and Peter Thiel's big risk: How J.D. Vance won his primary (Politico.com)
@ltthompso (Twitter.com)

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Building Campaign Software That Works For Everyone – Drew Ryun (Campaign Sidekick)

Wed, 11 May 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Drew Ryun is the founder and CEO of Campaign Sidekick, a voter contact app used by campaigns across the country to reach voters via phone, at doors, and text messages. Drew has a long history of working in campaigns both as an operative and as an entrepreneur.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Automated Content Recognition: TV Watches Back – Adam Meldrum (AdVictory)

Wed, 04 May 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re joined by Adam Meldrum, President of AdVictory, a political media buying and audience intelligence firm. Adam has worked on a ton of campaigns including Nancy Mace for Congress, Ben Sasse for Senate, Bill Lee for Governor and a number of party committees and PACs. In our conversation we talk about the new technology he’s excited to put to work in campaigns, how he stays at the cutting edge, and how to sell innovation in the Republican party.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Agenda-Driving Political Reporting – Alex Isenstadt (Politico)

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Alex Isenstadt, National Political Reporter at Politico where he’s been since 2008. His coverage is must-read for anyone following the inner-workings of national politics. On today’s show we discuss how the media interacts with campaigns, how he develops his professional relationships, and what the digital disruption of politics means for media.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

From Campaigns To Techstars – Arielle McKenzie (Grasshopper)

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Arielle McKenzie, co-founder & CEO of Grasshopper, a startup in the education technology space focused on enrichment for kids that’s backed by Techstars, but before that, Arielle and I worked together on the 2016 Rubio for President Campaign. In our conversation today, we talk about how Arielle’s sojourn through politics prepared her for becoming an entrepreneur and how she’s using those skills to overcome challenges in her current startup.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Protecting Campaigns & Vendors From Cyber Attacks – Michael Kaiser (Defending Digital Campaigns)

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re speaking with Michael Kaiser, an expert in cybersecurity and privacy. He’s the President and CEO of Defending Digital Campaigns, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides access to cybersecurity products, software and training to campaigns. We discuss the reasons campaigns are targets for cyber attacks, the unique arrangement that allows DDC to provide these services for free, and how to drive culture changes around technology.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

The Startup Skills Campaigns Teach – Steve Johnston (Flexpoint Media)

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Today we’re joined by Steve Johnston, Chief Operating Officer of Flexpoint Media, we recently welcomed Kegan Beran, the co-founder of Flexpoint Media on the show and you can go listen to that episode to learn more about what they’re working on. Steve’s career has taken him from Capitol Hill and Wharton Business School to Google and yCombinator. In our conversation today we learn how those experiences have shaped his perspectives on both business and politics.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Startup Lessons From A 3X Political Entrepreneur – Sara Fagen (Tunnl)

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Sara Fagen, Founder & CEO of Tunnl, a data intelligence company powering brand, purpose-driven, and issue advocacy efforts. Sara is also the cofounder of Resonate and Deep Root Analytics. She was Deputy Assistant to the President & Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush and served as Senior Strategist for Bush-Cheney 04. In today’s conversation, we discuss her journey to entrepreneurship, the evolving roll of data, and advice for balancing multiple projects at once.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Why Campaigns Still Need 'Wheel of Fortune' – Kegan Beran (Flexpoint Media)

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Kegan Beran, co-founder and President of Flexpoint Media, an omni-channel media strategy firm that helps campaigns and other organizations with traditional media placement and digital strategy. In today’s conversation we dive into the nuts and bolts of TV advertising, what its dominance means for campaigns, and his insights from innovating in a highly competitive segment.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Audio Diary: Startup Caucus Raises $500,000 To Invest In New Campaign Tech Companies

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0400

We recently raised $500,000 for our second series of Startup Caucus, which as you know from listening is an incubator and investment fund for Republican campaign technology companies. In addition to our usual Wednesday episodes, I’m recording this short audio diary for you to share some of the lessons I’ve learned as part of this fundraising journey.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Building A Company In A Crowded, Competitive And Regulated Sector – Thomas Peters (RumbleUp)

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Thomas Peters Founder & CEO of RumbleUp, one of the leading peer to peer text messaging platforms on the Right. He’s a serial entrepreneur having founded uCampaign and Switchboard as well. In today’s conversation we dig into the growth of P2P and how Thomas was a part of that, we learn his tips for scaling political businesses, and what the outlook is for regulation of campaign texting.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Integrating Mail Into Modern Political Campaigns – Chris Faulkner (Majority Strategies)

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0500

We’re joined today by Chris Faulkner who is a Senior National Strategist at Majority Strategies, one of the biggest consulting firms in the political space. Chris spent almost a decade as a Marine before getting into politics and he has worked on a LOT of campaigns. In this episode you’re going to get an inside look at the nuts and bolts of direct mail in politics.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology.

Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Innovate On The Cutting Edge Of Politics – Patrick Ruffini (Echelon Insights)

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Patrick Ruffini, co-founder of Echelon Insights, a firm specializing in next generation research, analytics, and digital intelligence. Patrick was my boss at Engage, back in 2009-2013, and he has always been at the forefront of innovation in politics and public affairs. In our show today, we discuss the challenges of being at the cutting edge, how to spot lasting trends from momentary fads, and more.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Making Campaign Websites Affordable for Every Candidate – Max Cowan (Ryvall)

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Max Cowan is the co-founder of Ryvall and a Startup Caucus Entrepreneur in Residence. Max’s professional background is in graphic design. Ryvall helps political candidates build their own professional website in just minutes.

FreeCampaignGuide.com

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Teaching Campaigns The Skills To Tell Their Own Stories – Ryan Gravatt (Raconteur Media Company)

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Ryan Gravatt, founder and CEO of Raconteur Media Company. He’s been involved in numerous campaigns like Rick Perry for President and Romney for President. Recently he launched Digital Hero Academy an online learning platform for political candidates and operatives to build new digital campaigning skills.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Do Debates Still Matter? – Brett O'Donnell (O'Donnell & Associates)

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Brett O’Donnell. He is the go-to person on the Republican side of the aisle for all things debate preparation and he’s also a sought after advisor for strategic communications of all stripes. Brett advised President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain in their presidential debates and just about every senator you could name. In our conversation we dig into the hidden world of campaign debates and what their future looks like.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Redistricting Actually Works – Adam Kincaid (National Republican Redistricting Trust)

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0500

We're joined by Adam Kincaid for this episode. He’s the Executive Director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, which is responsible for coordinating the GOP’s national redistricting strategy. Adam has held a number of senior roles at the RNC, the NRCC, and RGA. In today’s episode we dig into the actual nuts and bolts of redistricting and how it works.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Political Entrepreneurs Can Break Into Public Affairs – Joe Pounder (Bullpen Strategy Group)

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0500

We’re joined today by Joe Pounder, the founder and CEO of Bullpen Strategy Group, which is an insights-focused public affairs firm. Before he started Bullpen, Joe started America Rising, the Right’s leading opposition research firm and worked on a number of campaigns. In this conversation we dig into the interplay between political campaigns and public affairs and how entrepreneurs can address these two separate yet similar market segments.

Political Risk: How Businesses and Organizations Can Anticipate Global Insecurity by Condoleeza Rice
@PounderFile

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Getting Your Political Tech Company Acquired – Scott Tranter (0ptimus)

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Scott Tranter joins us today for the show. He’s the CEO & Founder of Optimus Analytics, a data science and technology company using AI and machine learning to transform data insights into actionable deliverables. Scott began his career in political campaigns and was the Director of Data Science for Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Learn more about the Dynata acquisition here.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Building Dedicated Political Technology – Allen Fuller (Datrm.in)

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0500

Our guest today is Allen Fuller, the founder of Datrmin, a CRM purpose-built for political campaigns and organizations. Allen is one of Startup Caucus' Entrepreneurs in Residence. He has extensive experience building digital programs in the campaign and advocacy space.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Recruiting & Retaining Top Campaign Talent – Startup Caucus Showcase

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 06:00:00 -0500

This audio is from a recent Startup Caucus Showcase.

As we prepare for a competitive mid-term election year, it's harder than ever to find, hire, and keep experienced staff for campaigns up and down the ballot. We're joined in conversation with two of our Startup Caucus Entrepreneurs in Residence who are building companies to help Republicans recruit and retain top campaign talent. You'll hear their insights studying the larger trends in hiring and employment for Gen Z and Millennials, what their career goals are, and how candidates, PACs, and political organizations can build their best teams.

Jonathan Gallegos is the founder of GOPJobs.com
Nathan Calvert is the founder of REVERED.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Has Twitter warped politics? – POLITICO Playbook Deep Dive

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 06:00:00 -0500

This is a special Business of Politics Show. We're sharing an excerpt of the POLITICO Playbook Deep Dive podcast interview with Eric Wilson.

Thanks to the POLITICO team for allowing us to share this excerpt with you. You can listen to the full episode here.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Tech-enabled Relational Organizing for Republicans – Lisa Schneegans (Buzz360)

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 06:00:00 -0500

We're talking today with Lisa Schneegans, who founded Buzz360, a political software company that gives campaigns and political organizations the power to better engage their supporters. We discuss Lisa's journey into politics as a second career, the science of relational organizing, and insights into software sales.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Developing Strategic Insights From Public Opinion Research – David Winston (The Winston Group)

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 06:00:00 -0500

In this episode we speak with David Winston, one of the most trusted names in political polling. He's the president of The Winston Group, a Washington, D.C., a strategic planning and survey research firm. David has served as a strategic advisor to Senate and House Republican leadership for the past 10 years. Read David's latest insights at RollCall.com.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Closing The Knowledge Gap For New Candidates – Dante Vitagliano (Trailmapper)

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Dante Vitagliano is the founder of Trailmapper, whose product Prospector helps campaigns raise more money from major donors with less effort. Before that Dante worked on campaigns throughout New Hampshire. Trailmapper is a Startup Caucus portfolio company.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Win State Legislative Races - Edith Jorge-Tuñón (RSLC)

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Edith Jorge-Tuñón is the Deputy Executive Director of the Republican State Leadership Committee. The RSLC helps state legislative candidates across the country win their elections. They've just come off of a very successful 2021 election season in Virginia and New Jersey.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

An Entrepreneurial Approach to Politics – Barrett Davie (Surus)

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500

Today we're joined by Barrett Davie, co-founder of Surus, a campaign tech, data, and managed services company based in Illinois. Barrett was also a Republican nominee for Illinois State Senate in 2018. Barrett is the first candidate we've had on the podcast so you'll see things from both sides of the table in this episode.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Meet Glenn Youngkin's Ad Man - Will Ritter (POOLHOUSE)

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode we speak with Will Ritter who is the Co-Founder and CEO of POOLHOUSE, which creates bold campaigns that win elections, empower brands, and move people to action. We discuss the genesis of POOHOUSE and how their approach to ad-making made the difference on election day for Glenn Youngkin in Virginia.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How Technology Is Disrupting Polling – Brent Buchanan (Cygnal)

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0500

On this episode we speak with Brent Buchanan who is the CEO & Founder of Cygnal, which provide spolling, market research, and predictive analytics services to campaigns, corporations, and trade association. He's also an investor in campaign tech startups. We discuss the innovations Brent is leading in polling and insights he has as an investor.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Sell To Political Customers – Shane Greer (Campaigns & Elections)

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 06:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we're joined by Shane Greer, the co-owner of Campaigns & Elections. The C&E website should be bookmarked for every listener of this podcast. It's a must-read for the political industry. Shane and his team also host the best conferences in the industry, bringing together professionals, operatives, and vendors several times a year. Shane and I discuss the professionalization of politics and how entrepreneurs can reach their target customers.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How The NRSC Helps Senate Candidates – Kevin McLaughlin (Common Sense Leadership Fund)

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Kevin McLaughlin who was most recently the Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) for the 2020 election cycle. He was deputy executive director for the 2016 cycle and a senior advisor in the 2014 cycle when the GOP took the majority. In this episode, we get in depth about the role and function of the NRSC and party committees in general.

Visit CSLF.us to learn more about Kevin's latest project.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Making the NBA 2K of Politics – Eliot Nelson (Political Arena)

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0400

In this conversation, we speak with Eliot Nelson, a political journalist — formerly with HuffPost who has launched a new project on Kickstarter called Political Arena. It's a comprehensive video game about politics.

We talk about the challenges of turning political campaigns into a video game, his decision to pursue crowdfunding, and what he hopes players take away from Political Arena.

You can back the project on Kickstarter here.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

How To Build A Career In Professional Politics – Michael Cohen (Modern Political Campaigns)

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Michael Cohen, the author of the book "Modern Political Campaigns: How professionalism, technology, and speed have revolutionized elections." Michael has one foot in academia and another in business. He's a PhD political scientist who lectures at Johns Hopkins University and through Cohen Research Group he provides research services like polling to a number of corporate and public affairs clients.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Bringing Artificial Intelligence to Campaigns – Will Long (Numinar)

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0400

Our guest today is Will Long, who is the co-founder and CEO of Numinar, the world's first artificially intelligent political campaign data platform that shows users how to win. Will and his friends started Numinar in 2018 while still at Harvard and now it's used by campaigns across the country. Numinar was the first investment we ever made with Startup Caucus and I've had the privilege of working with Will and his team for a few years now. In our conversation, we talk about Will's journey as an entrepreneur carving out a path in politics and lessons learned along the way.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Politics and Professional Ethics – Prof. Peter Loge (GWU)

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 06:00:00 -0400

We're joined by Peter Loge, the Director of the Project on Ethics in Political Communication at George Washington University. Before moving to academia, Peter spent more than 25 years working as a Capitol Hill and White House staffer, lobbyist, and consultant.

Now, he encourages students, academics, and practitioners to consider what, if any, ethical obligation political communication professionals have and to whom or what they have it.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

AI, Machine Learning & Big Data In Politics – Glenn Parham (Pundit Analytics)

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 06:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we're speaking with Glenn Parham, the co-founder of Pundit Analytics, a digital content monitoring tool for politics and advocacy. Glenn is originally from California and he studied at UC Berkley. Before starting Pundit, Glenn was a software engineer at Microsoft and a Data Intelligence Engineer at Crowdpulse.

Pundit Analytics aggregates and analyzes the digital output – emails, websites, social media, and ads – from elected officials, candidates, and political organizations to provide a comprehensive view into online activity. In our conversation we talk about the differences that surprised Glenn making the transition from Silicon Valley to Capitol Hill, the role of money in politics, and the opportunities for automation throughout campaigns and advocacy.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Inside Business PACs: A Critical Source of Direct Campaign Funding – Micaela Isler (NABPAC)

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Micaela is the executive director of the National Association of Business Political Action Committees more commonly known as "NABPAC."

It's a non-profit trade association for PACs with a membership of more than 700 government affairs professionals with over 300 PAC. In this episode, we talk about the role employee-funded and business trade association PACs play in the political process and how that's changed significantly in recent cycles.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Building Scalable Political Businesses – Nicole Schlinger (Campaign HQ)

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 06:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we're speaking with Nicole Schlinger, President and Founder of Campaign Headquarters which is a call center for Republican campaigns and conservative organizations. More than anyone I know in politics, Nicole believes in building a scalable business and she's an avid reader about business, leadership, and management.

Visit https://www.campaign-headquarters.com/ to learn more about Nicole and Campaign HQ.

The Business of Politics Show, hosted by Eric Wilson, is a production of Startup Caucus, an investment fund and incubator for Republican campaign technology. Visit StartupCaucus.com to learn more.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Gerrit Lansing (WinRed)

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 06:00:00 -0400

On this episode, we're joined by Gerrit Lansing who is the President of WinRed, the Republican Party's official, networked grassroots donation platform. Before making the leap to entrepreneur, he built transformative digital programs at the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Republican National Committee. WinRed represents one of the GOP's most significant investments in technology and helps thousands of Republican candidates across the country up and down the ballot raise billions for their campaigns.

https://winred.com/about/

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com

Introducing the Business of Politics Show

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 12:00:00 -0400

The Business of Politics Show is a new podcast that brings listeners into conversation with entrepreneurs, donors, and operatives to learn about the rarely discussed business side of politics.

Our first episode hits feeds September 1, 2021. Subscribe now.

Visit our website: CampaignTrend.com