Adapting To A Wild Election Cycle – Jessica Anderson (Sentinel Action Fund)
Oct 2, 2024
auto_awesome
Jessica Anderson, President of the Sentinel Action Fund and former Executive Director of Heritage Action for America, discusses strategies to navigate the unpredictable 2024 election. She highlights the surge in absentee and early voting, emphasizing the need for flexibility in campaign tactics. Anderson underscores the importance of personal voter contact and grassroots efforts over traditional advertising. Additionally, she introduces innovative tools for relational organizing that enhance political participation through personal connections.
Jessica Anderson highlights the necessity for campaign teams to embrace strategic flexibility in response to the unpredictable changes of the 2024 election cycle.
The Republican party's increasing acceptance of absentee and early voting, fueled by new election laws and high-profile endorsements, aims to enhance voter turnout and reclaim lost ground.
Deep dives
Adaptation Strategies for Unpredictable Elections
Adapting to the unpredictable nature of the 2024 election season has been a significant challenge, requiring strategic flexibility. Campaign teams must be prepared for changes caused by various external factors, such as shifts in candidates or new election laws. Jessica Anderson emphasizes how important it is to operate with the mindset of anticipating change, suggesting that the political landscape can shift rapidly, necessitating quick organizational adjustments. This approach allows teams to effectively allocate resources and remain proactive rather than reactive in their campaign strategies.
The Shift in Early Voting Among Republicans
An important operational change has been the Republican party's growing acceptance of absentee and early voting, particularly following significant election law reforms since 2020. Jessica Anderson notes that many state legislatures have implemented measures to strengthen election security, which has helped build confidence in voting by mail. By engaging high-profile leaders like President Trump to promote early voting, the party is not only normalizing this practice but also strategically mobilizing voters who may have previously been hesitant. This monumental shift aims to reclaim lost ground as Republicans have struggled with early voter turnout in the past.
The Importance of Year-Round Ground Game
The strategy of maintaining a year-round ground game is crucial for building and sustaining relationships within communities, as emphasized by Jessica Anderson. By engaging consistently with local voters rather than focusing solely on election cycles, campaigns can foster ongoing support and accountability. This approach helps in adapting to community needs and maintaining momentum between election seasons. The introduction of a relational organizing app further amplifies these efforts by empowering grassroots activists to facilitate personalized voter outreach and engagement, thereby enhancing the electoral process.
Jessica Anderson is President of the Sentinel Action Fund, the only conservative Super PAC with a year-round ground game committed to turning out absentee, early vote, and "day of" voters. She was previously the Executive Director of Heritage Action for America.
In this episode we discuss how Sentinel has adapted to the wildly unpredictable 2024 election, the strategy behind boosting early voting, and the role of personal voter contact.