President Trump’s Unexpected Endorsement of Rep. Dan Donovan (R, NY)

Based in Maryland, Strategic Campaign Group serves the election and issues-focused needs of conservative clients across the country. Focused on the upcoming midterm elections, Strategic Campaign Group keeps its finger on the pulse of developments with the potential to sway competitive races.

A recent article in The Hill brought attention to the unexpected boost provided to Rep. Dan Donovan (R-NY) by President Donald Trump in his primary battle against ex-Rep. Michael Grimm. Sharing an Air Force One ride from Long Island to Washington, D.C., Trump asked about the primary and pledged support for Donovan, whom he has known for more than two decades.

A week later President Trump made good on his word by sending out a pair of Tweets warning voters that a vote for Grimm, who had served time in prison on a felony tax fraud conviction, could result in the loss of a critical seat in the House. The endorsement came despite Donovan having voted against legislation that sought to replace and repeal ObamaCare and the Republican tax cut. The bottom line is that what it takes to achieve the president’s support can be difficult to predict, as he continues to cut a swathe across business-as-usual in Washington.

Four Benefits of SMS Marketing for Political Campaigns

A political consultation group for Republican candidates, Strategic Campaign Group helps candidates achieve their campaign goals and connect with voters and supporters through a wide range of consultative and strategic services. Strategic Campaign Group’s strategies for fundraising include short message service (SMS) messaging for delivering targeted communications. This approach can offer numerous benefits in today’s technology-driven society, as explored below.

1. Adaptive to fast-past environment. SMS marketing readily adapts to the fast-paced environment of political campaigning. Nearly everyone carries a cell phone, which gives candidates a reliable means of connecting with voters and delivering up-to-date news.

2. Instant delivery. Unlike direct mail, text messages arrive in the recipient’s inbox within minutes of being sent. No other form of messaging platform can compare with the swiftness of SMS; direct mail can take days to reach the recipient and emails rely on voters regularly checking their email.

3. Increased visibility. The opening rate of SMS messages is significantly higher than other forms of messaging strategies, such as direct mail or email. Subscribers can easily decide to delete emails or discard letters without opening them, but most will check their text messages within seconds of receiving notification of their delivery.

4. Collect estimated voter numbers. Campaign staff members can use SMS to conduct surveys regarding voter opinions and their candidate’s number of voters by asking recipients for whom they will vote in upcoming elections.

Political Campaigns Increasingly Rely on Digital Advertising

Strategic Campaign Group is an Annapolis-based political consulting firm that provides comprehensive campaign strategies to Republican candidates in order to help them win elections. Focused on next generation solutions, Strategic Campaign Group uses traditional outreach strategies and analytics-based digital approaches such as email and advertising.

In 2018, political campaigns are expected to spend $1.8 billion on digital advertising, an increase from $1.4 billion two years ago, according to Borrell Associates, a firm that tracks advertising data. Social media in particular is forecast to account for over $1 billion in spending on digital advertising. Campaigns frequently use social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to target potential supporters. 

Campaigns are increasingly allocating their advertising budget to Internet advertising on mobile devices and websites, which are cheaper than radio, TV, and mail advertising. 

Digital ads can help campaigns to identify supporters early on in the campaign season before they are deluged with TV ads. Campaigns can then encourage these voters to volunteer or donate, as well as place them on mailing lists.

Differences between a Super PAC and a Traditional PAC

Based in Annapolis, Maryland, Strategic Campaign Group has been helping Republican candidates win political offices for nearly a decade. Among other services, Strategic Campaign Group offers candidates assistance with voter outreach, campaign staffing and structure, and fundraising. 

Over the past two decades, fundraising has become one of the most important aspects of political campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels. Advertising, get-out-the-vote initiatives, and professional staff all cost money, and a candidate's fundraising advantage often translates to an advantage at the polls. 

Though there are a variety of ways to raise funds for a campaign, many candidates benefit from a political action committee (PAC). PACs are organizations that aggregate donations and spend money to support candidates, promote issues, and affect elections.

PACs are strictly regulated by the Federal Election Committee (FEC). A traditional PAC is organized by an interest group, such as a labor union or trade association, and must follow established guidelines that include limiting donations from individuals to $5,000 per person. Additionally, traditional PACs are allowed to make direct contributions to a political candidate.

Super PACs differ from traditional PACs in that there are no stipulations on the amount of money raised. However, Super PACs may not be directly affiliated with a candidate or party, and they may not make donations to candidates. Instead, Super PACs are considered independent expenditure-only entities, meaning their spending is limited to advertising, marketing, or other initiatives independent from a candidate’s campaign.

Political Direct Mail Services Offer an Affordable Outreach Strategy

Possessing a team of experienced political operatives, Strategic Campaign Group connects Republican candidates to their supporters through comprehensive campaign communication plans. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, Strategic Campaign Group offers services such as polling, telemarketing, and direct mail to help its clients spread their message to constituents.

Direct mail services enable Republican candidates to reach their targeted voters in order to garner the necessary support for Election Day by sending persuasive and informative direct mail pieces directly to voters’ homes. An affordable and effective outreach method, direct mail offers an opportunity for a more foundational connection with voters than social media. Customizable direct mail services may range from brochures and postcards to personalized letter and fundraising packages.

In the 1970s, political candidates began incorporating direct mail into their campaign strategies. George S. McGovern used political direct mail in his 1972 presidential campaign by mimicking tactics developed by the mail-order industry and drawing from the Religious Right movement’s use of the US Postal Service to create sophisticated voter lists in the 1980s. Political candidates use direct mail to request donations, spread awareness of policy positions, and outline the flaws of their opponents. Direct mail continues to play a significant role in voter outreach, enabling candidates to reach groups that are more comfortable with traditional forms of communication.

Strategic Campaign Group Maintains Active Social Media Presence

Working with the goal of assisting Republican and conservative political candidates and causes, the seasoned team of operatives at Strategic Campaign Group provides a full range of campaign-building, marketing, and voter messaging services. The Annapolis, Maryland, firm has built up a decade of experience honing voter communication techniques, including its innovative Telephone Town Hall format. Strategic Campaign Group’s leadership also understands the importance of staying connected to its clients and the public, and leverages the power of social media to do exactly that. 

The firm’s regularly updated Facebook page, for example, offers links to news articles, campaign tips, and other information of interest to a broad group of Republicans and conservatives. When news outlets reported that 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney had announced his intention to run for the Utah Senate seat held by retiring Orrin Hatch, Strategic Campaign Group made sure to amplify the breaking news. 

Likewise, when Pres. Donald Trump announced his appearance at a fundraiser for Rick Saccone, a Republican running for Congress, the firm helped get that news item in front of its Facebook audience as well. Republican voters also can find posts analyzing ways in which Democratic office-holders may be vulnerable to Republican candidates in other upcoming elections. 

In addition, the firm publishes articles offering timely advice on best practices in campaign fundraising, branding, and messaging, and on a variety of contemporary issues of particular interest to conservatives.

President Trump’s State of the Union Address Underlines Poll Gains

Strategic Campaign Group is a Maryland-based political consulting firm that aims to help Republican candidates and conservative organizations to create winning campaigns. Strategic Campaign Group follows political news and events, such as President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address to Congress.

In his address, Trump expanded his message beyond his core constituency, with a full 75 percent of viewers in a CBS News/YouGov snap poll approving of his message and nearly as many responding that it made them feel a sense of pride. In tandem with this, recent polls have showed a swell of support for Republican tax reform, with approval of the bill rising by 18 percent since December.

A majority of those responding to a Monmouth University survey now say that President Trump has achieved success in passing his agenda in Congress. In addition, a majority of Republicans are now on board with him in terms of raising tariffs as a way of protecting domestic jobs in the face of low-cost, foreign-made imports.