I just got off of the phone from a "media" conference call with the Carly Fiorina campaign team — the call was hosted by Fiorina’s top campaign strategist Marty Wilson, and her media strategist Fred Davis — with some insightful tid bits from Judie Soderlund as well.

Marty Wilson opened by saying that the campaign had reached the "finally" phase — in that with a month to go, with a large number of undecided voters, it is finally time for the voters to be able to get introduced to Carly Fiorina through an aggressive voter contact campaign.

Marty said that  the campaign would be focused on the "three M’s" –  Momentum, Message, Messengers…

Momentum
Great debate performance — Carly has the, "policy and intellectual chops to go up against our primary opponents…"
New Major Endorsements — Just this week: Sarah Palin, three major pro-life organizations, the California New Majority — and just today, Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearingin.

Message
Carly is the conservative who can beat Barbara Boxer
Republicans want to nominate someone that they feel is tough enough to take on Boxer — and that candidate is Carly.

Messengers
Carly has a large list of endorsers who will all be engaged in pushing her candidacy.
(See her endorsements here.)

Wilson said that, "We have a very robust voter contact plan slated for the final 30 days of the campaign…"

The campaign has launched two new ads today in that Wilson characterized as a "substantial statewide buy that will be sustained throughout the remainder of the primary" —  both appear below.  Check them out.   Both are positive spots about Carly — emphasizing her theme of being "tough enough" to beat Barbara Boxer.  She even has the words, "battle tested," up on the screen!

I did ask on the conference call whether or not the campaign would go negative on campaign in television spots.  Wilson and Davis both made it clear that this was their plan.  But Davis did add that Carly "will win" this primary and that the campaign reserves right to readdress the strategy based on how the campaign goes in these final weeks.

Davis did say that he was disappointed (tongue in cheek) that there will be no giant blimps in tv ads (I don’t think there are any demon sheep headed for the big screen either).

Ace SF Chronicle reporter Joe Garofoli asked whether or not, to paraphrase, using the word conservative in the ads would be harmful to Fiorina given that many Californians are not.   Marty Wilson made it clear that Carly Fiorina is a conservative, and she will stand by that description.

In addition to the television ads, the Fiorina campaign will be engaging voters through radio advertising, direct mail and via the internet.

A question was asked first by Dena Bunis of the Orange County Register as to whether Fiorina would be putting more over her own funds into the campaign, and Marty Wilson was pretty coy with his answer.  My interpretation was that if that is what is needed, then it is highly likely.  But Wilson didn’t actually say that.  He did confirm that as of today, Fiorina’s personal investment in the campaign is $2.5 million.

In closing I want to give an FR "shout out" to my friend Ray Grangoff, who is the California Republican Party’s Associate Representative, who is the first "face" to appear on the top ad.  Way to go, Ray!

This entry was posted on Friday, May 7th, 2010 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.