Whether it's a new fundraising method, a new approach to digital strategy, or upgraded literature, there are new campaign tactics to keep up with every cycle; 2022 was no exception. We saw historic wins across the nation, highlighting that these new tools and strategies work well, but candidates without the most money or advanced tech still won. Equally as important, if not more so, are the messages that connected with voters and inspired action.
In 2022, Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton faced a competitive re-election. In a newly redrawn district, he was named a frontline candidate—essential for keeping the already narrow democratic House majority. There were a series of strategies in place to ensure a win, but the most important one was communicating the best messaging to voters.
Now, messaging in Arizona is no easy feat. As a traditionally red state with a strong independent mindset, connecting with voters is complex. A message that worked one year ago may no longer serve you and what works in one household may not work next door. When you add onto that the exposure to more than 1,000 ads per day, it makes standing out above the noise a particularly difficult task.
In 2022, polling showed that Arizonans in Stanton’s new district were concerned about policies and issues that affected them or their loved ones personally, but may not have seemed like traditional “kitchen table” issues. Access to clean water, the cost of healthcare, and abortion rights all rose to the top as major concerns for voters.
Voters wanted to hear how their congressman was taking decisive action to preserve water in a state that was experiencing extreme drought. They wanted to trust that when their congressman took votes on healthcare, he wasn’t influenced by any contributions from Big Pharma. They wanted to hear that they had a champion in Washington ensuring women would be able to make their own decisions about their healthcare.
The Stanton campaign ran TV ads addressing each of these three issues. The messages were straight forward, quick, and concise. They were persuasive—the ads successfully connected with the audience to deliver an overwhelming win by 11 points in a district that was expected to be one of the most competitive in the country, and in a year where Democrats lost the house overall.
Without research and a proper understanding of voters in the district, the Stanton campaign would not have been able to prioritize messages on the issues their voters cared most about. Nor would they have been able to pull off such a momentous win. There are many lessons to be learned from frontline races; staying in touch with your audience may just be the most important one.
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