op-ed<\/a> detailing how Republican candidates can win the Iowa Caucus:<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you don\u2019t know by now, Iowa caucus-goers are built different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Voters across the country groan when the first political ad airs, when candidates come to town, when the first political call of the season hits the phones\u2026but not Iowa caucus-goers. For them, the mail, phones, texts, and visits have already started. Candidates are taking over the airways and the Iowa State Fair, but Iowans wouldn\u2019t have it any other way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s something about sitting in a quaint coffee shop or pizza eatery and asking someone who wants to be president a question, face to face. Iowans take this seriously \u2013 they want to meet candidates, they want to know where they stand on policy issues, they push and question, and they winnow. Someone who wants to be president should have to do that \u2013 they should have to talk to everyday Americans about where they stand on issues. They shouldn\u2019t be allowed to simply spend money on flashy tv ads or talk to reporters. Talking to real people who are facing real issues is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These days, much ado is made about polling \u2013 national polls show this or that. Even state- specific polling can be tricky because caucus-goers are notoriously hard to poll. It\u2019s such a small, distinct set of people and they ebb and flow in and out of support as the months drag on. Who you read about in the lead today may not be the same in a couple of months. The more research, the more listening, the more things can soften and change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, if you want to be President, how do you best reach the elusive caucus-goer, how do you break through?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Show up and talk to Iowans, really talk to them and listen. Candidates should use this opportunity to focus their messaging, and let the questions help them to be a better candidate. Big events, touring businesses and plants, small coffees or meet-and-greets \u2013 it\u2019s all good. There have been plenty of candidates who rose to become somebody just by spending many days in Iowa, traveling the state and listening. At this point, Iowans have come to expect it. Statewide candidates here \u2013 Gov. Reynolds, Senators Grassley and Ernst, tour all 99 counties each year, even when they\u2019re not on the ballot. It keeps them in touch with what issues are resonating with Iowans, and it allows them to see how real-world policies are having an effect on people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Candidates should also plan their caucus night months in advance. Convincing caucus-goers to come out of their warm houses on a cold January night means the strategy must start now. First is to find out who\u2019s with you, then you work on getting them to the caucus, and don\u2019t forget figuring out a way for them to connect to others on your behalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes candidates can\u2019t be everywhere but they still need to find a way to connect with a large group of caucus-goers and make it feel personal \u2013 phones are a great place to start. Since the pandemic, phones have been having a moment in the political world. Live calls, automated calls, telephone townhalls and text messages help a campaign focus on advocating and connecting with Iowans. Live calls, telephone townhalls, and text messages allow candidates to<\/p>\n\n\n\n
have a two-way conversation with caucus-goers and find out what\u2019s really on their minds. Professional phone calls will also help identify which caucus-goers are with them, which may be soft, and which need more connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Iowa Caucus is like nothing else and so are caucus-goers. This will not be a walk in the park for any candidate, and that\u2019s why it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nicole Schlinger has two decades of experience in grassroots voter contact, issue mobilization, and strategic campaign consulting. She launched CampiagnHQ in 1999. Campaigns & Elections magazine has twice named her a top political influencer.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nRead Nicole’s op-ed for Iowa Field Report here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In case you missed it, CHQ President Nicole Schlinger wrote an op-ed detailing how Republican candidates can win the Iowa Caucus: If you don\u2019t know by now, Iowa caucus-goers are built different. Voters across the country groan when the first political ad airs, when candidates come to town,when the first political call of the season<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10254,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119],"tags":[208],"yoast_head":"\n
ICYMI: Want to win in Iowa? Here's what you need to know. - CampaignHQ<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n