I do a fair amount of Independent Expenditure work in California. Often times my clients make more resources available to shape a race than the candidates have available to them.  You can thank the intersection of campaign finance reform and the 1st Amendment for that.

This time of year we are all waiting for the voting to start.  During the next week we will see what sort of efforts third parties will make to elect or defeat candidates.  That is why many of us are looking at the Secretary of State’s website each day for information about committees being formed and expenditures being reported.

So here is my rub.

If someone like me wants to help a campaign like yours — then meet me half way.  I can’t call you.  I can’t e-mail you.  I won’t even return your calls or e-mails.

Most of the time I’m depending on your campaign website to guide me to where the race is going. I’m looking for pictures, themes, logos, examples of your mail, sources for quotes, all that stuff.

Two years ago a client wanted to help in an Assembly race.  I could not find a good picture of the candidate anywhere. I had to find a wedding picture on-line and then cut out the husband. 

Four years ago I almost had to hire a photographer to follow the candidates around so I could get some good images — yet I am sure this person would have flipped out with some random photographer following them around.

Six years ago the pictures and website of the candidate were so bad I just put signs all over the district. Not the best use of voter contact dollars — but that is all I had.

Today I am sitting here on Mother’s Day trying to help someone that just won’t help me help them.

WAKE UP!

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 9th, 2010 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.