The dust is starting to settle after a crazy primary night in NY's 14th district, in which longtime Congressman and high-ranking Democrat Joe Crowley lost in a primary to Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. With all the takes flying about, we wanted to add our perspective and debunk the myths about the results.
1. Ultra-liberal candidates are now going to win everywhere.
It is easy to get caught up in the excitement, when a self-proclaimed socialist wins a congressional primary, but NY-14 was hardly a trend. This is an extremely blue district that voted for Hillary by over 60 points. What happens here has little-to-nothing to do with the swing districts Democrats need to win. Having the right candidate for the right district is what is important.
2. The establishment of the the Democratic Party is in trouble.
Yes, a high-ranking Democratic Congressman lost in a primary, but there are several reasons to doubt far-reaching implications. For one, this district had changed over the years, becoming increasingly Latino. Second, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez simply outworked Rep. Crowley. Candidates who hit the doors and talk to more people will be more successful. This is less of a critique of the establishment than a lack of effort by a single candidate.
3. Joseph Crowley is still running.
There has been reporting since the loss that Crowley’s name will still appear on the ballot in November on the Working Families Party line. Many people unfamiliar with NY voting believe this is some sinister plot to keep Ocasio-Cortez from winning, but it is not. NY election law makes it incredibly complicated for names to be removed from the ballot. NY-14 is solidly blue and there is very little chance that this will interfere with a Democrat winning the general election. It is fine to disagree with the law, but there is nothing the candidates can do about it now.
At HSG Campaigns, we're always looking for new, innovative ways to give our clients an advantage in the next election. Here are some of the exciting new things in the world of digital ads...
1. Sending display and pre-roll ads to your mail list
Geo-fencing allows campaigns to target people at their exact locations. It's a favorite tool of legislative advocacy, targeting buildings where decision makers log online. But it can also be used to target the homes of known voters. Imagine digital ads that mirror your mail piece, targeting the same homes as the ones on your mail list. We can do that now.
2. Affordable, easy-to-make videos for social media
No medium is more captivating than a video. But for so long, videos weren't an option for campaigns with limited time or financial resources. But in the last couple of years, several affordable (or even free) services have become available, allowing us to create simple but captivating videos. Splicing together videos with campaign photos, stock clips and music, and your message is a great way to reach voters, especially on Facebook and Instagram.
3. Auto-responders
Campaigns are starting to move into the age of the bots. Accounts on messaging programs can be set to bring in automatic responses. These can be great for supporter data acquisition or even persuasion. One of the most interesting cases was in the UK last year, where a bot was employed to get Tinder users to vote Labour.
"When I ran for school board, I brought on HSG Campaigns because I knew the great work they have done in Long Beach and other school board races. They had a strong understanding of what my campaign needed to do to win, planned out our budget and communications, and executed it seamlessly. They were calm under pressure and brought a strong, steady hand. They will make a valuable addition to your campaign team."
— Dr. Juan Benitez, LBUSD Board Member-Elect
HSG worked with Dr. Benitez's successful campaign this Spring. We are excited to have elected a strong, pro-public education candidate. As the parent of an LBUSD student and an educator for over 20 years, we know he has the experience and perspective to get things done.