1 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: On this episode of news World. My guest today is 2 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: a remarkable person, someone I've really come to admire. Jeff Rowe, 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: the founder and CEO of Axiom Strategies, a firm specializing 4 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: in strategic consulting, direct voter contact, and research services for congressional, senatorial, 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: and statewide campaigns. Axiom was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, 6 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: in two thousand and five. Jeff is best known for 7 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: his dated driven approach to politics, as well as his 8 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,840 Speaker 1: role as a senior strategist and campaign manager for Ted 9 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: Cruz's two sixteen run for president. He formerly served as 10 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: chief of staff, campaign manager, and aide to Representative Sam Graves. 11 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: Axium has helped elect seventy four Congressmen, eight senators, six governors. 12 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: His latest victory includes the election of Glen Yunkin for 13 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: governor Virginia. And I have to say that I talked 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: with Jeff often on all through the campaign. I watched 15 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: how they worked, how they evolved, and it was extraordinarily impressive. 16 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: And we had a perfect combination of a really really 17 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: smart candidate and a really really smart advisor, and the 18 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: two of them changed history in ways we're going to 19 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:32,119 Speaker 1: explore in this podcast. Jeff, thank you for joining Mellow. 20 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: Thanks for having me before we dive into the Juncan 21 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: McCaulay phrase. As you'll remember when we first started chatting, 22 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: I'm intrigued with your whole background because it's fascinating. How 23 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: did you get into politics? My congressman at the time 24 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: growing up, Tom Coleman in Missouri's sixth Congressional District, afforded 25 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: me a nomination to a military academy, and I joined 26 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: the military at seventeen and had gone to Fort Sill, 27 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: Oklahoma to be a thirteen Bravo cannon cocker, and i'd 28 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: met him during the process of getting a nomination to 29 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: go to West Point. And so my grandmother was We're 30 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: all from Lynn County, Brookfield, Missouri, and we are family 31 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: raised Chester White hogs. Politics was the only thing dirtier 32 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: that I could find than raising hogs. And so she 33 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: was a Republican Women's Central Committee member and she took 34 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 1: me to fundraisers as early as I can remember, and 35 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: she always preached to me that the principles of being 36 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: involved in politics day to day. And then I got 37 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: to meet politicians kind of growing up and completed my service, 38 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 1: went overseas for a few months and came back and 39 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: finished up school with a small school in northwest Missouri, 40 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,519 Speaker 1: and jumped in and started working on campaigns every other 41 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 1: semester in school. And I had the good fortune of 42 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: graduating in an election year, one that you, I don't know, 43 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: you may remember. In nineteen ninety four. We won that 44 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: year Sam Graves and I he was running for state 45 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: Senate at the time, and we literally broke the take 46 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: Flying upside down. We listened to it so often in 47 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,519 Speaker 1: the car that we eventually broke it. But we won 48 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,079 Speaker 1: that year. We thought we were geniuses, but we then 49 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: realized everybody won that year because of the Contract for America. 50 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: And I went to Jefferson City, Missouri as a led 51 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: slave aide, and then he ran for Congress in two 52 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: thousand and we won what at that time was one 53 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: of the number one races in the country. And I 54 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: went to DC in two thousand and then left DC 55 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: in two thousand and five and started my consulting company. 56 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: But in between you also, if I remember correctly, you 57 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: helped the Missouri Republicans win the General Assembly for the 58 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: first time in fifty years. We did. Sam's dissension to Congress, 59 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: left his seat open, and a lieutenant governor in a 60 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: neighboring district was a Democrat had left that seat open, 61 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: and so I ran both races and we won. We 62 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: swept both of them in two thousand and one, and 63 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: that brought us into the Senate majority for the first time. 64 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: And then in two thousand and two we were able 65 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: to take the House majority for the first time and 66 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: inaugurated Katherine Hannaway as the House Speaker for the first 67 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: time in half a century, and really ushered in a 68 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: new majority which has become, you know, at least to 69 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: this day, permanent majority for Republicans in Missouri. So you 70 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: decided in two thousand and five to found Axiom Strategies, 71 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: which has become really a remarkable company. Tell us what 72 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: you're thinking was when you created Action and the fact 73 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: that you based it in Kansas City, well two things. 74 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: Nobody my family hadn't really had their own company. But 75 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: I was given his speech on Sam's behalf at a 76 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: railroad crossing and at grade crossing, and he'd gotten some 77 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: money for the at grade signals to come down. And 78 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: my speaking slot was two fifteen to two nineteen, and 79 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 1: I get up to read the letter from Sam. I 80 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 1: was stowing the money that kid Bond and he had acquired, 81 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 1: and at two fifty and the train came barreling through, 82 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 1: and I got done rearing my letter, and I walked 83 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,119 Speaker 1: off the stage and I went over to the host 84 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: and I said, do I need to read that again? 85 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:15,119 Speaker 1: Because I don't think they heard of because the trainer 86 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 1: was crossing through. And she said, no, you were right 87 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: on time. And so I thought, probably anybody could do 88 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 1: this job. And I called Sam on the way home 89 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: and I said, I think we probably need to make 90 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 1: a change. I should probably do campaigns was what I 91 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: love to do, and I could still be part of 92 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 1: your effort. So that day I wrote my resignation letter, 93 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: and I post data ninety days and filled my slot 94 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: and started my company, and ninety five percent of my 95 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: clients were within ninety miles and just tried to make 96 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: a go of it. A lot of close friends of 97 00:05:45,839 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 1: mine have been successful in business. So I eventually wrote 98 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 1: a business plan, and the business plan was to elect congressman. 99 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 1: I had helped just on the edges of Sam's race 100 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: and a couple other races, so I had three congressmen 101 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: who I went into it and business model called for 102 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: me to help to elect twenty I thought that I 103 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: really would have made it at that point, and so 104 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: we've just focused on that and we've built out just 105 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 1: really kind of Big twelve if you old football. The 106 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: Big twelve conference was what our focus was. And now 107 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: we go coast to coast and now we have four 108 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 1: hundred and seventeen employees, not that I have to count 109 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: once a month or anything, but we've built up quite 110 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: at a shop and have elected a lot of folks 111 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: and have been blessed to not only do those, but 112 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 1: then those folks run for Senate and run for governor 113 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: and build out quite an operation out of that. But 114 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: the focus was to run a campaign that's based on 115 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 1: data first, analytics and branding and narratives and try to 116 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: control the narrative of a campaign. A lot of times 117 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 1: you'll wake up on election day thinking, how do we 118 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: end up debating these topics when this is not why 119 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: we got in the race, this is not what the 120 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: campaign should have been about. And a lot of times 121 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: just to ebb and the flow of a campaign would 122 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: drift you way off course. And so we've built an 123 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: agency that really handles a lot of the different features 124 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: of a campaign, to try and control the narrative and 125 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: to keep our candidates in charge of their own message 126 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: instead of handing it off to the national press or 127 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: hand it off to the whims of the electorate. At 128 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: that moment, Kansi was kind of the big town for 129 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: me growing up. It was about an hour and a 130 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: half away from my hometown, and it was in Sam's 131 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: congressional district where I was chief of staff. So when 132 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: I would come back to Missouri, i'd typically come back 133 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: to Kansas City. I bought a home in Precinct number 134 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: eleven in Liberty, Missouri. Liberty, Missouri was the swing city 135 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: within Clay County, which is a swing county in the 136 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: swing district, which is a sixth district in the swing 137 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: state in those days of Missouri. And so I found 138 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: a house in the swing precinct in the swing city, 139 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: in the swing county, in the swing district of Missouri. 140 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: And I bought a house there and so set up 141 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: shop there. And I just wanted to really kind of 142 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: live among swing voters, if you can imagine that. Now, 143 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: I try to avoid swing voters as much like game. 144 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: But that's how I ended up in Kansas City, and 145 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: it was a really good launching place for that for 146 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: founding the company in two thousand and five, you pretty 147 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: rapidly found yourself in the two thousand and eight presidential 148 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: effort with Mike Huckabee. How did you end up with 149 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: Mike as a firm. We hosted every presidential candidate that 150 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: would come to Kansas City, and we would raise him 151 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,239 Speaker 1: fifty thousand dollars from our kind of friends and family. 152 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,679 Speaker 1: And I just remember we had Giuliani through and Fred 153 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: Thompson through Romney everybody, and I met Mike Huckabee and 154 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: it just stuck. And I still loved Mike Huckabee, and 155 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: he was a very gracious guy. And Sarah his daughter, 156 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: and David his son, and the whole family was involved, 157 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: and so we really hit it off, and I decided 158 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 1: that day. We came back afterwards, and I'll just never 159 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: forget that event. He knew every single waiter, he knew 160 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: the cashier, he knew their name, and something about him 161 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: and there's just something kind of magical about Mike. And 162 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: so we decided the next day we were going to 163 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: go work for him. We didn't know what exactly that meant, 164 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: except it was probably going to be that we'd have 165 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: to do it for free, but Iowa was close by, 166 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: and so myself and several folks on our team went 167 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: to work for Mike the next day. And it wasn't 168 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 1: long after that fundraiser that he started to become ascended 169 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: into polls due to his performance in the debates, and 170 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: he was pretty good with one liners, and he and 171 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 1: Romney were really battling. We kind of relocated Axiam's main 172 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: office and went to Iowa and worked pretty hard for 173 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,319 Speaker 1: Mike and fortunate enough to win. And then I drove overnight, 174 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: left to Moying that night and drove straight to South 175 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: Carolina and another person and I had now worked with 176 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 1: me set up shop in South Carolina and then we 177 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: did essentially the SEC States. We went down from there 178 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: to Florida and our state chairman, a young fellow by 179 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: the name of Marco Rubio is our state chairman. He 180 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 1: found this office location we set up in Florida to 181 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: battle there, and we ended up seating the campaign in Texas, 182 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: So we got quite a run with Mike. So were 183 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: you surprise by McCain's ability to make a comeback after 184 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:05,439 Speaker 1: he seemed like he was out of the race. Yeah. 185 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: In fact, we saw Fred Thompson really help. Fred Thompson 186 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:13,599 Speaker 1: stayed in the race. Really, Fred Thompson retrenched after his 187 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: loss to Tennessee, everybody went to New Hampshire. Obviously Mike 188 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,200 Speaker 1: didn't have much of an opportunity in New Hampshire. But 189 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: we set up to fight in South Carolina and Fred 190 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: stayed in for his good friend McCain to help siphon 191 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 1: votes away from us in South Carolina, real turning point 192 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:32,959 Speaker 1: in the race. I remember on election night it was 193 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 1: really close. It was snowing up in the north and 194 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: it was only raining John and Charleston, and so McCain 195 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: had enough votes and Thompson pulled just enough from us 196 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: to put McCain back in the lead and win the state. 197 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: And that was kind of the rebirth of McCain and Thompson. 198 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: They had their victory parties that night together. There was 199 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 1: a good move on their part to do that. And 200 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: so after that and momentums everything, as you know in 201 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: presidential politics, and we'd lost the big mow South Carolina. 202 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: We had to win, and after that we would have 203 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: a moment or two left in the campaign. But after 204 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: you lose momentum, in a campaign, it's tough to get 205 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 1: it back. Well. I learned a fair amount of that 206 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 1: in the twenty twelve cycle when you and I did 207 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: a little bit of work together, and if you had 208 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: first been a consultant to Rick Perry, who I admire enormously. 209 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: I think he's one of the most decent and remarkable 210 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: people in American government and politics. When he dropped out, 211 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: he endorsed me, which I was very grateful for, and 212 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: you ended up helping us, and that's when I learned 213 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 1: the power of sheer money Florida against Romney. Given the 214 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: scale of Romney's resources, we just couldn't make it. It 215 00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: was fascinating. As you think back to twelve, what are 216 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 1: your lessons learned that you took on into other campaigns. 217 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:49,079 Speaker 1: The lessons in twenty twelve is that, first of all, 218 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: the ground game of a campaign and your investment in 219 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: field is very valuable. But it's valuable up to a point. 220 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: It's about a field goal, if you will, it's worth 221 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: about three points in politics, and three points a lot 222 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: of times can win a game. But without the money 223 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: to get you up to within the field goal, it's 224 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: just a very difficult thing to overcome, particularly in big 225 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: states in the old days, which is in twelve there 226 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: are certain states that you could network politically and there's 227 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: other states that you just have to buy the airtime. 228 00:12:22,679 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: And I would think a lot of times in the 229 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: Peri campaign we would mix and match the wrong way. 230 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,440 Speaker 1: We would try and buy New Hampshire airtime instead of 231 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: networking that state. We try and buy South Carolina instead 232 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 1: of working and now everybody works Iowa because you have 233 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: a year to build the infrastructure. But then you get 234 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: in those states which are just completely momentum states, and 235 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: when you put your streak of states together, you would 236 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: have no advertising sometimes and you would just win on 237 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: straight momentum, which is great, but you can't sustain that 238 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,839 Speaker 1: without money and the ability to build a campaign that 239 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: can sustain itself. Save the money. And this is a 240 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 1: presidential level. This doesn't speak outside of presidential, but when 241 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 1: you have momentum in a presidential campaign, to save your 242 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 1: resources and invest in grounds so that when that momentum dissipates, 243 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: you can still carry on that momentum a bit with 244 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: paid and with field. That's a really critical exercise. As 245 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,839 Speaker 1: you know, you go from five staff kind of staring 246 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: at each other in a rented office space somewhere to 247 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty people and huge overhead and all 248 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: kinds of money flying in the door, and then for 249 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: it to start to taper off, and how you manage 250 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,319 Speaker 1: those resources. And that was a lesson I learned in 251 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: eight when Huckabee got hot and then we lost it, 252 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: and how fast that dries up. I learned it in 253 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: twelve when Ricks had his moment and then he said, hey, guys, everybody, 254 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: how to go to nuke. That's our chance to beat Romney, frankly. 255 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: And then I learned the same lesson with crews and sixteen, 256 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: when we got hot, we raised ninety three million dollars, 257 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: more than anyone had ever raised for a primary. And 258 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: then we started to falter and the money just immediately 259 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 1: dried up. And I'd rerun all those races and do 260 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:10,439 Speaker 1: it a different way. But the allocation of resources whin 261 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: to scale, I'll never forget. Rick Perry in sixteen let 262 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: go seven staffers in Iowa. He had ten. He went 263 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: down to three. And I remember calling our Iowa guy 264 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: and I said, you know what I mean, people we 265 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 1: have up there working with you, right, And he said, yeah, 266 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: it's just me. And I said, yeah, that's the lesson here. 267 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 1: We need to stay small as long as we possibly 268 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: can to eventually let our operation catch up to the calendar. 269 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: And Rick started out with ten and he was blowing 270 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: and going, and then he had to let him go 271 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: because the money just wasn't there. At least my knowledge, 272 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: no one's ever managed a campaign over twenty million dollars 273 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: for president twice. If I do it again, I'll learn 274 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:54,400 Speaker 1: a lot more doing it at a second time, because 275 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: the management of resources and when to kind of push 276 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: the accelerator, when to let off, those are lessons that 277 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: it's just hard to learn without making a mistake. Ted 278 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: was the last viable candidate faced from with Trump. And 279 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: Ted's one of the smartest guys in the Senate, somebody 280 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: I admire a lot, is a lot of courage. But 281 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 1: it strikes me that in the end, there was a 282 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 1: momentum to Trump in a sort of personal scale. There 283 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: wasn't a money scale. It was all the different components 284 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: that made up Trump that was just almost impossible to stop. 285 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: I mean, as you look back and again, I think 286 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: you guys ran a great campaign, and certainly in Iowa 287 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:37,920 Speaker 1: you did a remarkable job, and Ted did a good 288 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: job in the debates. I mean, he's one of the 289 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: two smartest guys on the stage. Yeah, I think we 290 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: measured now, and there's a new science every year of 291 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: new science, and in twenty four there'll be another science 292 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: will be able to measure. But you know, he used 293 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 1: to measure endorsements and that sort of thing in billionaires 294 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: that funded super PACs and all that. Now it's a 295 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: small dollar game, but it's also earned media share, and 296 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: the media's share has almost always predicted presidential winners in 297 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: primaries and generals. Frankly, but the earned media share that 298 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: Donald Trump was able to get in the primary was 299 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: just an overwhelming, powerful tool, and we were not ever 300 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 1: interesting enough to gather that. We'd always complain about it, 301 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: but the fact of the matter is Donald Trump was 302 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: anytime we would get on a role, we wouldn't five 303 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: states in a row. Obviously, we won Iowa and had 304 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: some successes in the SEC primary states, but it was 305 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: never a big enough moment that he wouldn't change the 306 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 1: topic the next day. And regardless of how he would 307 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: change it, he would be able to control the media 308 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,760 Speaker 1: in a way that would dominate the coverage for days 309 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: and sometimes recklessly change it. But even though staying to 310 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: spell my name right, he would control the media narrative 311 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: day after day after day. And if we were winning conventions, 312 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: they were rigged, and then all the conversation would be 313 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 1: how rigged were they? Were? They really rigged. He's a 314 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: force of nature, particularly as relates to earned media coverage, 315 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 1: and it was a tsunami. I remember we won Wisconsin. 316 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: Ted gave his best election night speech. You know, candidates 317 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:10,439 Speaker 1: get pretty hyped up after they win. They speak for 318 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: too long, and they do all their thank yous at 319 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 1: the beginnings at the end, and at some point the 320 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: press that stops covering them, they lose their message. But 321 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,120 Speaker 1: Ted gave a great speech in Wisconsin. We get back 322 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 1: on the bus, We've had Fox News on, and we 323 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,479 Speaker 1: immediately go to the big board to show how Trump's 324 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,880 Speaker 1: gonna win the next five states, and it was lucky, 325 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: just didn't even happen. And so there's this force of work, 326 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: and Trump was an overwhelming presence. Now in the middle 327 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: of all this, while you're doing these campaigns, you're also 328 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: growing action, which I have to express my own ignorance, 329 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: actually has helped elect seventy four Kishman, eight senators, six governors. 330 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 1: You do political and ballot initiative campaigns. You provide crisis 331 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: management and consulting to eight fortune five hundred companies and 332 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: over twenty public corporations on federal, state, and local issues. 333 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: I mean, that is a heck of a machine that 334 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: all grew out of your founding it in Kansas City. 335 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: It's hard to believe in it. What was the key 336 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 1: to that? I mean, why is Actium such a juggernaut? 337 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 1: I think the longevity of our employees. Probably We get 338 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,120 Speaker 1: to work on a lot of big campaigns, and when 339 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 1: we see folks that kind of ascribe to our philosophy 340 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 1: of politics and enjoy working together, and people come here, 341 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: and as we talk about a lot, we'd want people 342 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: to retire with our company. We're trying to build a 343 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: hundred year company, and we want to have a philosophy 344 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: that I want people's kids to work here and their 345 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: grandkids to work here if they're competent and able. I 346 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 1: think the business of politics is changing to a degree 347 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: as well. I think that if you're a small shop 348 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: in politics, it's kind of hard to make it to 349 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: get to scale and politics and have highly compensated and 350 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: highly trained people. You have to be at a certain size, 351 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 1: and we got there just by not spending a bunch 352 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: of money and saving a cycle over cycle and not 353 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 1: get a bunch of offices and not spending a munch 354 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: of money frivolously. And Missy and I don't need a bunch. 355 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: I mean, we certainly don't don't live too shabby, but 356 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: we reinvest in the company a lot. And I'd have 357 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: the same story every entrepreneur has and didn't take any 358 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:26,959 Speaker 1: money out for the first couple of years and all 359 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: that sort of thing. But now that we've built it 360 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 1: to scale, now people are attracted to come here because 361 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:35,120 Speaker 1: they can work on campaigns that they could never work 362 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 1: on their own. And it always happens. It's a good 363 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: client comes in and they have a great opportunity. They're 364 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: gonna raise a bunch of money. It's a big race, 365 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 1: and they just don't run. Eventually they drop out or 366 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:48,639 Speaker 1: something happens, and that kills a lot of firms. I mean, 367 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 1: if you have a big kind of anchored client, they 368 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 1: don't run, or something happens or they redistrict them out, 369 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: or that kills companies. And for us, we have enough 370 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 1: big clients and enough kind of going that we have 371 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,120 Speaker 1: enough talented people that we just keep marching on. And 372 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: so we've also focused our company on general consultants. A 373 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: lot of people sell television advertising or digital advertising or 374 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: direct mail, or they have this product offering, and that's great. 375 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: We do a lot of those things. We sell those 376 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: product offerings too, but with bones of our company or 377 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: people that can actually manage a campaign, they can run 378 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 1: it and put the pieces together, and they can build 379 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 1: the infrastructure for a candidate. So when they come in 380 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 1: a lot of times don't care who does the mail piece, 381 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 1: or who does the different pieces of the process, or 382 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 1: who sends the text messages or whatever they care about. 383 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: Who intellectually is on the lead lap with them about 384 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: what they want to accomplish or what the campaigns about, 385 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: and they can help execute all the different features. So 386 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,479 Speaker 1: when they say they want something done, they don't have 387 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: to listen to a voice on a conference call. They 388 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: know their person, and we have twenty four people like 389 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: that now across the country that they trust to be 390 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,439 Speaker 1: able to get that done, their valued partner in the 391 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: campaign effort. And I think that's the strength of our 392 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: firm is this is not me. We have really talented 393 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 1: people running big scale campaigns now, and they're attracted to 394 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: come here so they can work on campaigns and otherwise 395 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: it would almost be hard for either of them to 396 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: handle on their own, or if they lost a race, 397 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,159 Speaker 1: they'd really feel it, you know, the next day in 398 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,439 Speaker 1: their own company. You have the system working very well, 399 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: and then you tackle the highest profile race of twenty 400 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: twenty one and it's initially, I think, realistically a long 401 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: shot because I gotta get through a convention which normally 402 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: favors the traditional insiders. This is at least my sense. 403 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: I could be wrong, and you've got a genuine outsider 404 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:51,199 Speaker 1: who is learning politics every single day. What attracted you 405 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 1: to Glenn? We met before the twenty cycle was over. 406 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: A mutual friend of ours had met him and said, 407 00:21:57,760 --> 00:21:59,360 Speaker 1: you're gonna love this guy. You got to meet him. 408 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 1: I think at that point, I don't recall he had 409 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,919 Speaker 1: interviewed a lot of people, and he eventually talked to 410 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 1: everybody in the business. I feel like, but Larry Hogan 411 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: had given him some advice that a lot of the 412 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: folks in Virginia had just gotten used to losing and 413 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,840 Speaker 1: did not hire the consultant class from Virginia. That helped 414 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 1: me a lot because a lot of my competitors are 415 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: in Virginia, so that wiped a whole bunch of people out, 416 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 1: so that was helpful. But I met him and I 417 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: could tell, first of all, that he just wasn't a 418 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 1: typical business guy that wanted to go throw their hat 419 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 1: in the ring and try something new. That's what happens 420 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: a lot with business guys that have mastered one area 421 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: of society and believe they have something to offer another 422 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 1: area of society. But he was intellectually curious and had 423 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:47,680 Speaker 1: a burning heart of service. And I left that first 424 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 1: meeting and I thought, gosh, I would have done that 425 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 1: race for free. I think he's a fabulous person. And 426 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,239 Speaker 1: I think anytime we have a chance to work for 427 00:22:57,280 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: someone that's actually going to change and been the arc 428 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: of politics, that's an honor to do that. And he's 429 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: that kind of guy. He's a conservative, he's not pissed 430 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,439 Speaker 1: off about it, and the hunger that he has to 431 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: do better each and every day. You either have that 432 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,919 Speaker 1: or you don't. Either slough off on the issues and 433 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 1: just recite talking points. Are you intellectually you're curious enough 434 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 1: to find out why people that you don't agree with 435 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,719 Speaker 1: have that position and just fundamentally want to understand the 436 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:31,919 Speaker 1: three D piece of politics. And so I pitched. We 437 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 1: probably worked I don't know, three or four different meetings 438 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: and long conference calls, just philosophical and finally his big 439 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: hang up to get the deal done was how many 440 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: days a week I would be in Virginia, because I've 441 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: not done a lot of races in Virginia. And so 442 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 1: I spent one hundred and twenty three days in the 443 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,640 Speaker 1: Marriott across the street from the campaign office the last year. 444 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: And it was to really build a symmetrical campaign that 445 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 1: launched in an invention, which is the purest of pure Republicans, 446 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 1: and build a campaign starting from that all the way 447 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 1: to election night in the general and had the same 448 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,199 Speaker 1: consistent messaging. And that takes a lot of work on 449 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 1: the front end to do that, and you could tell 450 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 1: immediately that he was committed to that. We also didn't 451 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: want to run a convention and be the nominee just 452 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: to lose. And so the first thing that he recommended 453 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 1: we do, which told me everything I needed to know 454 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 1: about him, it was to do a general election survey 455 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,719 Speaker 1: to understand if Virginia was really as gone as everyone 456 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 1: thought that it was gone. And remember this as December 457 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 1: of twenty the Georgia election had not even happened yet, 458 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:41,880 Speaker 1: and so we had done a survey then. And I'll 459 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: tell you one of the first things that I learned 460 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: in that survey, one of my first takeaways was that 461 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 1: the non white voters were as or more persuadable than 462 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: white voters that had formerly been Republicans that had left 463 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,320 Speaker 1: the party. So we learned a lot of that survey. 464 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 1: And Glenn was from the jump was a trans informational 465 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 1: candidate that I was going to be eager to work with, 466 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: and I learned a lot from him during the process. 467 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: That's great was the convention much of a challenger. Was 468 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: the share momentum of your campaign enough to win it? 469 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 1: It was a big challenge. We were the focal point 470 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: of the campaign really from the word go, and I've 471 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 1: not been in a campaign like this where we were 472 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 1: the news the whole entire way. That's a lot of 473 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:27,080 Speaker 1: pressure on a campaign. But everybody took us as being 474 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:31,399 Speaker 1: their kind of block to their nomination. We stood in 475 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 1: their way. We took that to heart. And fashioned a 476 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,199 Speaker 1: campaign that the most of the people had ever participated 477 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:42,200 Speaker 1: before in the convention was eighteen thousand and thirty two 478 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 1: thousand participated in this one. We registered on our own 479 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 1: eighteen thousand delegates. So we knew that if we let 480 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: the typical be the typical, we would not be able 481 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 1: to be successful. We needed to change the electorate, and 482 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:57,160 Speaker 1: so we completely changed the electorate, registered people that never 483 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,399 Speaker 1: registered to be a delegate before, completely from a very 484 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,640 Speaker 1: unconventional approach, and I like it that way. The more 485 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:04,639 Speaker 1: difficult it is, I think, the less likely it is 486 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: that my competitors will do the same work. And Glenn 487 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: was ready to work, ready to change, ready to invest. 488 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 1: We didn't outspend everybody another candidate spend as much as 489 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: we did in it, but everybody had a unique approach 490 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: to their voting block, and we were everybody's second choice, 491 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 1: which is kind of a dangerous place to be in 492 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 1: a typical election, but with ranked choice voting, I felt 493 00:26:26,720 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 1: good about that. We didn't run any negative ads, we 494 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:34,399 Speaker 1: didn't do the typical approach, but eventually, as other people 495 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 1: kept attacking, it gave us the chance to really show 496 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: Glenn's heart and with our own people that we were 497 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 1: bringing to the polls into the convention ourselves. We were 498 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 1: bringing enough first place votes that we felt really confident. 499 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: You never know who's going to show up. We registered 500 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,199 Speaker 1: eighteen thousand, we got about half of them to the 501 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 1: polls for the first vote, but we felt pretty confident 502 00:26:56,040 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: once we turned it into a ground war that we 503 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 1: were gonna be okay. So you start out in one 504 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 1: of the things you're really known for. He is looking 505 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:11,400 Speaker 1: carefully at data. Were you surprised early on that Virginia 506 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:15,359 Speaker 1: was not as blue as people thought? No? I always thought, 507 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: so if you take Trump out of the mix, you 508 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 1: take a sixteen results, you know it's a five point state, 509 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: take the Trump Hillary kind of out of it, it's 510 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 1: probably a four point state. It's not Colorado. Everybody would 511 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 1: always make the suggestion it's Colorado. It's not a great 512 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,439 Speaker 1: state for Republicans for sure, but it's just not that bad. 513 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:36,640 Speaker 1: And Trump didn't put it in played in campaign there 514 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 1: last time, and Biden's kind of the perfect vessel for them. 515 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: So I never thought it was a ten point state. 516 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,199 Speaker 1: I thought it could be a probably a four or 517 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,200 Speaker 1: five point state. And then you take the national kind 518 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 1: of averages of the off year performance in the off year, 519 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 1: and we're looking at probably a one or two point state. 520 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 1: So I always thought we'd be down one or two, 521 00:27:55,960 --> 00:28:01,160 Speaker 1: maybe three, And certainly right after the convention, some surveys 522 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 1: came out that had us down outside the margin of air. 523 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: With the URGA had a survey that had us down eleven. 524 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: That was a tough day, but they had to college 525 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 1: educated vote was at fifty nine percent and the highest 526 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:17,120 Speaker 1: had ever been was fifty two percent. So I didn't 527 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,639 Speaker 1: think those numbers were quite right, but I figured we 528 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 1: were going to be when a minus four or five 529 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: coming out of the convention. Our own Polly and had 530 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: us down six. And thankfully, in my mind's eye, our 531 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 1: convention was a month before the Democrat election, and that 532 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: gave us a chance to go on air and start 533 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 1: identifying and branding Glenn outside the typical political prism. And 534 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: we had the resources because Glenn invested twenty million dollars 535 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: of his own campaign. He spent roughly eight in the 536 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: primary and the convention phase, and so we spent a 537 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 1: lot of money at that time, knowing we could get 538 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: out spent at the end, but knowing what attacks would 539 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 1: come against us to really spend a lot of time 540 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: uncomfortably not talking deep about issues, not talking about anything 541 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: besides introducing him as a new kind of leader. And 542 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 1: I think that really paid dividends. There was never a 543 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 1: time in the campaign that Glenn's unfavorables were higher than 544 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: his favorables. How much time did you spend in that 545 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: original introduction May twenty eighth until August eleventh. You know, 546 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 1: I live in McLean, Virginia, Na Kliss and I watched it. 547 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: We thought they were very good, and they set him 548 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: up as a nice, likable, sincere person in a way 549 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,400 Speaker 1: that I thought was tremendous To then be able to 550 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:39,240 Speaker 1: be in a real campaign with a guy who you 551 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 1: knew was going to be very tough. I mean, mccalliff's 552 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: a real professional politician and he was going to do 553 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: whatever it took to try to win. And he started 554 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:51,479 Speaker 1: advertising against us on July eleventh, and it was all 555 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:55,240 Speaker 1: about Trump and making us the Trump Accolyte. There was 556 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: a tough summer, by the way, we were down and 557 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 1: still not advertising, not counter attacking, no negatives, not really 558 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: even talking deep about issues, and a lot of folks 559 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: were talking about you know, we were spent too much 560 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: time on his brand versus the other. But the best 561 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: antidote for the Trump attack was to make the lenn 562 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,720 Speaker 1: his own person, and so to me, there wasn't a 563 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: lot of reason to switch off that message, even though 564 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 1: we weren't going to gain a lot. We were building 565 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: up scar tissue on that attack, which eventually I think 566 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 1: proved to be Carry's downfalls. That he never really moved 567 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: off of that. He never got to the second punch. 568 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: He was just that we were a radical Republican. They 569 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:36,239 Speaker 1: were crazy extreme Republican, whether it be because of our 570 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: support of Trump, or because of our position or abortion 571 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: or guns, or climate change or pick your topic. Positioning 572 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:46,720 Speaker 1: him as a pretty normal suburban dad who wants to 573 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:48,640 Speaker 1: go do the right things, I think that paid off. 574 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:53,840 Speaker 1: Do you think mccauloff had polling that showed him that 575 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: that would work, Because I thought, frankly, the Terry was 576 00:30:57,040 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: a better politician than his campaign, and I thought that 577 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,480 Speaker 1: the campaign was one of the more inferior products i'd 578 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:06,240 Speaker 1: seen in a while. Me too, I think he ran, 579 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: you know, two of the worst campaigns I've ever seen, 580 00:31:08,320 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 1: rand as Terry mcculiff and Hellard Clinton. When I got 581 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: into the race. I would have thought that Terry would 582 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: have been kind of like a Claire McCaskill type to 583 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: would really be sophisticated, you know, take an issue to 584 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,280 Speaker 1: wedge it, And he never did that. It seemed like 585 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:24,160 Speaker 1: a lazy campaign to me. It seemed like a kind 586 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,960 Speaker 1: of knock off twenty twenty Senate race. Didn't you have 587 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 1: the sense that he didn't really take young kuns seriously 588 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 1: till towards the very end, after he made the mistake 589 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: in the debate about whether or not parents should be 590 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,239 Speaker 1: involved in schools. But prior to that, it was kind 591 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: of like he was ropa doping. Yeah, like he just 592 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 1: had one note. He was just going to beat the 593 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: heck out of it till it let out. I did 594 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 1: think that I thought it was a pretty woeful effort. 595 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 1: I couldn't tell if he had and I just still 596 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:50,959 Speaker 1: don't know the answer this really, but I couldn't tell 597 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 1: if he had too many advisors or not enough, because 598 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 1: on the day before Alexa had eleven commercials up and 599 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 1: we had three, and he was all over the map 600 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 1: at the end, just trying anything. But Yeah, for the 601 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: longest time, we kept on looking around thinking is this. 602 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 1: All this guy's gonna do is try the same thing, 603 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:29,920 Speaker 1: you know, eight thousand times. I do want to say, 604 00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: as a citizen voter who was watching the campaign, I thought, 605 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:38,120 Speaker 1: over all, your commercials were very, very good. You know. 606 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 1: The thing that he did to surprised me the most. 607 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 1: We split up our coalition into obviously persuadable voters, people 608 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: that we just couldn't get. But listen to this that 609 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,760 Speaker 1: you'll love us. He spent about one point eight million 610 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 1: dollars on Hulu, you know, the streaming service. I gotta 611 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 1: be honest, it was freaking me out a little bit. 612 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: We ended up spending about ninety two thousand dollars on it. 613 00:32:57,040 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 1: And when I asked, I said, guys, and I cannot 614 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 1: be missing something here, so I need to rerun the 615 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: analytics and come back to me. They re ran the analytics, 616 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: came back to me, and there were nineteen hundred and 617 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 1: eighty two Hulu subscribers that were persuadable voters. Now I 618 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 1: still overspent on it. Now, I guess he was trying 619 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 1: to get turnout, right, he was trying to lose much 620 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,200 Speaker 1: more of a democratic platform. Didn't they do pretty well 621 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 1: with turnout? The turnout was up. We all did. I 622 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:26,480 Speaker 1: thought he would actually be down on turnout and he wasn't. No, 623 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 1: I wrote the MO on May twenty first. I think 624 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 1: we got the data back on May eighteenth. We had 625 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:35,000 Speaker 1: our first cut on analytics as our turnout was gonna 626 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:36,760 Speaker 1: be at two point nine, and then after we got 627 00:33:36,760 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 1: the data back from registration numbers, we had at three 628 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 1: point one and ended up at three point two. So 629 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 1: we always do that. I think everybody was kind of 630 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: surprised about the turnout, but you know, you spent one 631 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 1: hundred and thirty million bucks, you get some people turned out. 632 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:54,240 Speaker 1: I'm curious and this may be confidential, so feel pretty 633 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: enough to answered. But when you go through this, and 634 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 1: as I understand that your initial goal was to win 635 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 1: five hundred and seven thousand, four hundred and twenty three 636 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,040 Speaker 1: likely Republican voters, four hundred thousand, seven und twenty ghetti 637 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: bole Republicans, and six hundred and forty seven thousand, two 638 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,399 Speaker 1: hundred ninety one swing voters, I mean, at one level, 639 00:34:13,400 --> 00:34:15,719 Speaker 1: those are slightly funny because you don't actually know if 640 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:18,719 Speaker 1: it's two hundred and ninety one. Well, we do, well, 641 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 1: how do you? I mean, do you do a scan 642 00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 1: of every single voter. Virginia's not great because Virginia is 643 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,040 Speaker 1: not a heavily battleground states, so there's not as much 644 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:31,200 Speaker 1: data been purchased over the years. Some states have fifty 645 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:34,760 Speaker 1: thousand on each voter, but we had about thirty thousand 646 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 1: pieces of data on every individual voter. And so by 647 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:42,040 Speaker 1: the time we do that much survey work, we know 648 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: pretty close. I mean, there's not a lot of guesswork 649 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,880 Speaker 1: to be done. Now, where do you get your information 650 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,759 Speaker 1: as different and whether we can get to you could 651 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:54,240 Speaker 1: be different. We did a lot of unique work against 652 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:57,759 Speaker 1: Terry in the coal country where he said he wanted 653 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 1: to eliminate coal. Were trying to turn people out that 654 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,880 Speaker 1: we're not likely to participate. That's an expensive endeavor and 655 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 1: you've got to find the right issue that matters to them. 656 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: And Cole was a big one there. And so we've 657 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 1: had a universe about thirty four thousand and I'll know 658 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:14,760 Speaker 1: in a couple of weeks how many of those actually 659 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:18,000 Speaker 1: did turn out. And Glenn's going to require Glenza Carlisle 660 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:20,920 Speaker 1: guy if we will have a big project to put 661 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 1: together how many of our targets of all those went 662 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:26,799 Speaker 1: through that's an absolute straight number. The James River, you know, 663 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:28,880 Speaker 1: the flooding that goes on and the sewage is being 664 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:30,880 Speaker 1: dumped there. That was a number one issue for them. 665 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 1: We did about twenty one thousand mail pieces digital targets 666 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:36,880 Speaker 1: on that issue alone. When you're trying to get that 667 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:39,120 Speaker 1: many votes out of Richmond. I mean, there's just not 668 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 1: a lot of things that they agree with the Republican 669 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:44,600 Speaker 1: Canada for governor on It's not made up these days, 670 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:47,600 Speaker 1: you know, with analytics, we have a lot of information 671 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:49,920 Speaker 1: on each voter. The other thing that struck me is 672 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 1: it but I thought that bringing in a series of 673 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:59,719 Speaker 1: national politicians, whether it was Kamala Harris or Obama or 674 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:04,440 Speaker 1: other folks who had national reputations, but they weren't Virginians 675 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:09,360 Speaker 1: and it was overwhelmingly oriented towards either very very liberal 676 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:12,239 Speaker 1: whites or to the black community to what he sent 677 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 1: did that actually seal the mccauliff off from the voters 678 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 1: that he might have tried to get well, completely turned 679 00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:23,320 Speaker 1: him into a turnout only vessel. He advocated any ability 680 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:27,719 Speaker 1: to win any crossovers. And I think that everybody has 681 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 1: a different philosophy about whether it's turnout or whether it's 682 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: you know, a centrist appeal. I believe you can do both. 683 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 1: But I'll give you a stat that you'll like. Stacey 684 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 1: Abrahams came in for his souls to the poll in 685 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:41,480 Speaker 1: Hampton Roads. We would the next day to see how 686 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:44,759 Speaker 1: many people turned out that day, and three hundred ninety 687 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,320 Speaker 1: four turned out that day. Now, they didn't have Sunday 688 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,800 Speaker 1: voting the year before, so we can't measure at apples 689 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:54,760 Speaker 1: to apples. But the Monday the year before, fifteen hundred 690 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 1: and forty eight had voted. Barack Obama went to Richmond 691 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:02,280 Speaker 1: on a Sunday and they had a rally. Six hundred 692 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:06,360 Speaker 1: ninety four people voted that day. But after the rally 693 00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:08,719 Speaker 1: they encourage everybody to go across the street and vote 694 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:12,480 Speaker 1: at the early voting center, and one person voted. One 695 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,120 Speaker 1: So I think that would have been better for him 696 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:16,959 Speaker 1: if he would have actually had an operation that would 697 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 1: take those people and actually go vote them afterwards. I 698 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:22,279 Speaker 1: have this follows to me about companies. Our company is 699 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:24,360 Speaker 1: a third of July and a fifth of July company, 700 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 1: and the fourth of July will come and the same 701 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:28,359 Speaker 1: thing goes for campaigns. The third of July means we're 702 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:31,919 Speaker 1: gonna prepare, we're gonna invite, we're gonna build a data 703 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:35,440 Speaker 1: so we could have everything in order. Fourth July slide off, fireworks, 704 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:37,319 Speaker 1: and everybody looks good on fourth of July. But then 705 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:38,960 Speaker 1: the fifth of July is the follow up and the 706 00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 1: follow through and making sure everybody had a good time 707 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:43,520 Speaker 1: and do the measurements afterwards. And we spent seven point 708 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:45,880 Speaker 1: one million dollars on early voting, and that's not a 709 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:47,680 Speaker 1: do you want to talk about a real number and 710 00:37:47,719 --> 00:37:50,080 Speaker 1: a real painful number. There's a lot of people saying 711 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:51,520 Speaker 1: I want to vote early, but I don't know if 712 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,440 Speaker 1: I trust them, And so we spent real money and 713 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:57,760 Speaker 1: real resources because one of the reasons was is because 714 00:37:57,800 --> 00:38:01,359 Speaker 1: we didn't want a whole month long stories about how 715 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 1: the Democrats were kicking our tail an early vote. Because 716 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:07,880 Speaker 1: an untold story about polling and the way this pundent 717 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:11,000 Speaker 1: polling works is there's a poll coming out every few 718 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:14,560 Speaker 1: days anymore, and if people think that their candidate's gonna lose, 719 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 1: it starts to impact turnout. And thirty eight percent of 720 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:22,279 Speaker 1: our voters thought we were gonna lose on Labor Day, 721 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:24,840 Speaker 1: and we knew if we went through a whole raft 722 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 1: of stories saying that we were getting our tails kicked 723 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:29,800 Speaker 1: an early vote, that that was going to just start 724 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:33,359 Speaker 1: to become a reaccruing problem. So we spent a lot 725 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,400 Speaker 1: of money getting we call on Republicans in the bank 726 00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,919 Speaker 1: votes to participate because studies show three and a half 727 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:41,879 Speaker 1: percent of people, it will tell you all the way 728 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:43,640 Speaker 1: through the election that they're going to vote on election 729 00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:47,279 Speaker 1: day don't vote. And Virginia has forty five days, which 730 00:38:47,280 --> 00:38:50,000 Speaker 1: is a ridiculous amount of days, but they have forty 731 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:51,440 Speaker 1: five days or early votes. So we just spent a 732 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:53,000 Speaker 1: bunch of money getting those people to vote early, and 733 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,560 Speaker 1: we were beating those numbers. We got forty six percent 734 00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:58,200 Speaker 1: of the early vote. You know, we've got to beat 735 00:38:58,239 --> 00:39:00,560 Speaker 1: fifty four to forty six, which is a huge number. 736 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:02,799 Speaker 1: That's only because the investment of the main and that's 737 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 1: a huge shift from what had been traditionally the Republican approach, 738 00:39:07,160 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 1: which was to get killed in the early voting but 739 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:13,480 Speaker 1: didn't have a massive election day turnout. The other thing 740 00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 1: I am told that you guys did is that you 741 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 1: were able to get the absentees and the mail in 742 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:27,080 Speaker 1: ballasts counted first, so they couldn't then turn and manufacture 743 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:30,040 Speaker 1: the number of extra votes they needed if they began 744 00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:32,520 Speaker 1: to fall short. There was a lot of pressure that 745 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:35,560 Speaker 1: was built upon that not being the case anymore, and 746 00:39:35,600 --> 00:39:37,120 Speaker 1: I think we had a hand in that, but that's 747 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 1: a governmental decision. There's play things i'll take credit for. 748 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:41,319 Speaker 1: I don't know if i'd take credit for all of that, 749 00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:45,120 Speaker 1: but certainly there's pressure that we've all seen it a 750 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:47,359 Speaker 1: thousand times right where they would just walk in and 751 00:39:47,520 --> 00:39:49,799 Speaker 1: that's the last votes to drop, and you have no idea. 752 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:51,839 Speaker 1: Arlington City was one of the first ones we knew 753 00:39:51,840 --> 00:39:54,399 Speaker 1: at seven thirty eight. At seven thirty eight, I told 754 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:56,799 Speaker 1: Lad that he was gonna win, and I said, I 755 00:39:56,800 --> 00:39:58,319 Speaker 1: don't know what it's going to be. I think you're 756 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:00,399 Speaker 1: gonna hang at fifty on him, but you're gonna people 757 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 1: showing you screenshots that you want to see. You ought 758 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:05,840 Speaker 1: to go down to your lap right now because I 759 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:07,759 Speaker 1: don't want you to be declared when you're just kind 760 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:10,840 Speaker 1: of working the circuit downstairs. And we knew it because 761 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:13,279 Speaker 1: Arlington City was gonna be a really rough spot for us, 762 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:14,719 Speaker 1: and they dropped their votes early, and I think we 763 00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:17,399 Speaker 1: got twenty eight percent and we could survive at twenty six, 764 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:19,880 Speaker 1: and so we do right then that we were going 765 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:22,600 Speaker 1: to be okay. But is that a technique that next 766 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:26,320 Speaker 1: year around the country we should have a pretty uniform 767 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:28,960 Speaker 1: effort to say we want to see the absentees and 768 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:31,000 Speaker 1: the mail ends early. We have to push for it. 769 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:33,200 Speaker 1: They have to start coming before they cannot start on 770 00:40:33,239 --> 00:40:36,440 Speaker 1: election nine, and we haven't enough Republicans and enough positions 771 00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:39,960 Speaker 1: typically by partisan boards with an edge to the Democrats. 772 00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:42,080 Speaker 1: Of course, that we should absolutely push for that, and 773 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:44,080 Speaker 1: there's no reason not to now the other they don't 774 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:48,520 Speaker 1: ask you. You indicated in your story in the Washington 775 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:53,480 Speaker 1: Post you see inflation and the economic challenges as the 776 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:56,919 Speaker 1: great driver of the next year. At the same time, 777 00:40:56,960 --> 00:41:00,360 Speaker 1: you did mention in the next paragraph that they that 778 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:06,600 Speaker 1: the school board education radical values thing played out became 779 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:10,320 Speaker 1: a living part of the campaign. Should candid its prepared 780 00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:14,080 Speaker 1: to work both on the economic and the education side 781 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:16,480 Speaker 1: in your judgment, I'll answer it this way. It's the 782 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:20,080 Speaker 1: right question from a takeaway for next cycle. There's a 783 00:41:20,080 --> 00:41:22,680 Speaker 1: lot of pressure built to quote unquote nationalize the race 784 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:25,200 Speaker 1: and run as against Biden and glow Sea and NAOC 785 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:27,920 Speaker 1: and all that we rejected that all the way through 786 00:41:28,239 --> 00:41:30,760 Speaker 1: because I believe you get the benefit of that anyway. 787 00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:32,399 Speaker 1: I don't believe you have to run it out against 788 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:34,080 Speaker 1: Biden to get the benefit of his approval, and his 789 00:41:34,080 --> 00:41:37,759 Speaker 1: approval rangs were always better than Terry's numbers. But what 790 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:41,239 Speaker 1: has happened with the cost of living? And you can 791 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:42,960 Speaker 1: chalk it up to inflation, or chalk it up to 792 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:44,799 Speaker 1: supply chain, whatever you want to chalk it up to, 793 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:50,480 Speaker 1: but the cost of living people that ascribe that impact 794 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:53,920 Speaker 1: on their daily life to Democrat leaders both at the 795 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:56,840 Speaker 1: state level and the federal level, and for us, and 796 00:41:57,200 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 1: you see it now, I mean, everybody's starting to kind 797 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: of get on the train now. I don't think it's 798 00:42:00,560 --> 00:42:02,120 Speaker 1: because of us, although I think it is because of 799 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:05,080 Speaker 1: Virginia to a degree, but also because people are polling 800 00:42:05,120 --> 00:42:07,879 Speaker 1: now because they're closer to the election cycle. But cost 801 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:12,360 Speaker 1: of living, it is through the roof, and it wasn't 802 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:15,719 Speaker 1: this time last year. And there's one difference between last 803 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:17,839 Speaker 1: year and this year, and that's who's in charge. And 804 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:20,279 Speaker 1: they ascribe that rightfully in my opinion. But even if 805 00:42:20,320 --> 00:42:22,359 Speaker 1: it's not rightful, even if it's just a bad time 806 00:42:22,440 --> 00:42:25,280 Speaker 1: for them, you know, the bad time to be in charge. 807 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:28,120 Speaker 1: The voters understand this, and they know that there's something different, 808 00:42:28,120 --> 00:42:30,440 Speaker 1: and every single piece of their life is more expensive 809 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:33,160 Speaker 1: than it was. And so cost of living was early on. 810 00:42:33,440 --> 00:42:36,480 Speaker 1: When they say jobs in the economy, that means something 811 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:38,719 Speaker 1: different in the state, and so I would encourage people 812 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:41,400 Speaker 1: to understand exactly what that means. But in Virginia, at 813 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:46,280 Speaker 1: least a huge swath of America, that simply means cost 814 00:42:46,360 --> 00:42:49,120 Speaker 1: of living. And they might say inflation, but I think 815 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:51,920 Speaker 1: even that excuses it a little bit. I would actually 816 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 1: make it cost of living. But then that's not really enough. 817 00:42:55,719 --> 00:42:57,800 Speaker 1: I mean, that's part of it. That's an economic message. 818 00:42:57,800 --> 00:43:01,040 Speaker 1: But the other kind of cultural message of schools, even 819 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:03,920 Speaker 1: if you don't have children, but particularly if you do, 820 00:43:04,520 --> 00:43:07,040 Speaker 1: the cultural message that our country is kind of getting 821 00:43:07,080 --> 00:43:09,920 Speaker 1: away from us a little bit. And that message and 822 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:12,799 Speaker 1: the message driven through and Terry hung a bow on 823 00:43:12,840 --> 00:43:15,439 Speaker 1: it for us, but that we were actually going through 824 00:43:15,480 --> 00:43:18,439 Speaker 1: all throughout the course of the campaign is not just 825 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:22,279 Speaker 1: critical race theory, which absolutely was part of it, but 826 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:25,920 Speaker 1: the lack of opportunity for school choice, which the dumbing 827 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:29,560 Speaker 1: down of academic standards and literally not teaching advanced math 828 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:33,200 Speaker 1: and science and longer removing school resource officers, making less 829 00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:35,480 Speaker 1: safe of all the different things that are appening in 830 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:38,440 Speaker 1: the schools, particularly in the Northern Virginia, but even school 831 00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:42,000 Speaker 1: choice in Richmond, and even school resource officers at Hampton Roads, 832 00:43:42,239 --> 00:43:45,880 Speaker 1: and even what they're teaching to our kids across the Commonwealth. 833 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:49,239 Speaker 1: But that's a cultural issue, and that cultural issue is 834 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:51,839 Speaker 1: a stand in for the cultural fights that we feel 835 00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:54,799 Speaker 1: like we're fighting and under assault every single day. And 836 00:43:54,840 --> 00:44:01,360 Speaker 1: so when you marry economic issues with a cultural protection 837 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:05,640 Speaker 1: of our kids issue is a powerful, powerful combo, and 838 00:44:05,760 --> 00:44:07,719 Speaker 1: I think if used properly, I think it will allow 839 00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:11,279 Speaker 1: Republicans to have historic wins because I don't believe the 840 00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:15,920 Speaker 1: Democrats can or have the stamina or the strength to 841 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:18,239 Speaker 1: fight back on either one. I don't think they could 842 00:44:18,280 --> 00:44:21,160 Speaker 1: change their economic platform, and I believe they are doing 843 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:24,000 Speaker 1: precisely what they want to do on the cultural Now. 844 00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:27,319 Speaker 1: The one last big thing, you well, also had the 845 00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:31,880 Speaker 1: most diverse Republican ticket I can remember, with a Jamaican 846 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:35,200 Speaker 1: born American citizen who served in the Marine Corps, the 847 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:38,719 Speaker 1: first black female to become lieutenant governor, and the son 848 00:44:38,840 --> 00:44:42,759 Speaker 1: of Cuban refugees. As the first Latino attorney general in 849 00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:46,080 Speaker 1: Virginia history. To what extent was it do you think 850 00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:49,800 Speaker 1: electorally helpful to have a ticket that was that diverse? 851 00:44:50,360 --> 00:44:54,040 Speaker 1: Oh it will. It's big time because one eliminated any 852 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:58,960 Speaker 1: ability for the Democrats to attack Glenn over the Party 853 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:01,759 Speaker 1: of the old white guy. And so because we were 854 00:45:01,800 --> 00:45:04,640 Speaker 1: bringing something dynamic and fresh. We didn't have those goals. 855 00:45:04,680 --> 00:45:06,839 Speaker 1: By the way, in the pre convention phase, we didn't 856 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:08,520 Speaker 1: know who the nominees were going to be. But when 857 00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:12,320 Speaker 1: we had that ticket and we sat down, because you 858 00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:15,520 Speaker 1: run as a ticket in Virginia, there's many ways to 859 00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:17,640 Speaker 1: run as a ticket. One is to do a conference 860 00:45:17,640 --> 00:45:19,439 Speaker 1: hall once a week and say hey, we're going here, 861 00:45:19,480 --> 00:45:22,520 Speaker 1: where are you going? Another way is to actually embed 862 00:45:22,600 --> 00:45:26,840 Speaker 1: and have a sophisticated messaging and narrative campaign structure. And 863 00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:29,920 Speaker 1: we went with the ladder and Glenn and Jason and 864 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:32,880 Speaker 1: went some I mean, we were campaign together as a ticket. 865 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:36,240 Speaker 1: We split messaging, we did everything that we could together 866 00:45:36,280 --> 00:45:40,000 Speaker 1: because we knew that was a dynamic solution for what 867 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: the modern party needs to embrace and there's something in 868 00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:49,560 Speaker 1: it for everyone. And Glenn's you know, broad based campaign 869 00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:53,600 Speaker 1: that was leave no voter behind and take no vote 870 00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:57,160 Speaker 1: for granted, just was embodied with the construct of the ticket, 871 00:45:57,360 --> 00:45:59,719 Speaker 1: so it was a perfect store for that. Well, I 872 00:45:59,760 --> 00:46:01,319 Speaker 1: want to come in you. I had found the race 873 00:46:02,360 --> 00:46:05,120 Speaker 1: exactly what it should have been. I watched it, as 874 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:09,279 Speaker 1: you know, very carefully. I thought that Glenn Younkin did 875 00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:12,520 Speaker 1: an amazing job and I think it was historic. I 876 00:46:12,560 --> 00:46:15,360 Speaker 1: think Youngcan has a very long career ahead of him 877 00:46:15,480 --> 00:46:17,880 Speaker 1: as a national leader who happened to be at a 878 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:21,880 Speaker 1: moment in time where this particular victory is going to 879 00:46:21,920 --> 00:46:26,160 Speaker 1: send signals that will be substantial for twenty twenty two 880 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:29,520 Speaker 1: and two twenty four. And Jeff, I want to thank 881 00:46:29,560 --> 00:46:32,560 Speaker 1: you for taking time out of your family vacation. I am, 882 00:46:32,600 --> 00:46:34,399 Speaker 1: as you know, a big fan of the work you've done, 883 00:46:34,760 --> 00:46:36,759 Speaker 1: and I want our listeners to know we're going to 884 00:46:36,840 --> 00:46:40,920 Speaker 1: have more information about political advertising and about your company, 885 00:46:40,960 --> 00:46:49,880 Speaker 1: Axiom Strategies on our show page at newtsworld dot com. 886 00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:52,279 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest Jeff Row. You can learn 887 00:46:52,320 --> 00:46:56,200 Speaker 1: more about political advertising and the winning Yuncan campaign on 888 00:46:56,280 --> 00:47:00,640 Speaker 1: our show page at newtsworld dot com. Newts is produced 889 00:47:00,640 --> 00:47:05,480 Speaker 1: by Gingwidge three sixty and iHeartMedia, our executive producers Debbie Myers, 890 00:47:05,719 --> 00:47:09,880 Speaker 1: our producer is Garnsey Sloan, and our researcher is Rachel Peterson. 891 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:13,880 Speaker 1: The artwork for the show was created by Steve Penley. 892 00:47:14,080 --> 00:47:17,560 Speaker 1: Special thanks to the team at Gingwidge three sixty. If 893 00:47:17,560 --> 00:47:20,160 Speaker 1: you've been enjoying Newtsworld, I hope you'll go to Apple 894 00:47:20,239 --> 00:47:23,680 Speaker 1: Podcast and both rate us with five stars and give 895 00:47:23,760 --> 00:47:26,760 Speaker 1: us a review so others can learn what it's all about. 896 00:47:27,400 --> 00:47:30,440 Speaker 1: Right now, listeners of Newtsworld can sign up for my 897 00:47:30,600 --> 00:47:34,960 Speaker 1: three free weekly columns at Gingwidge three sixty dot com 898 00:47:35,000 --> 00:47:39,319 Speaker 1: slash newsletter. I'm Newt Gingridge. This is Newtsworld.