Looking at the 2020 and 2024 campaign strategies

The 2020 approach felt too reactive, always fighting the daily news cycle. The 2024 ground game I'm seeing in Pennsylvania is more focused on local issues, which seems smarter for turning out votes. Does anyone else think the shift to a state-by-state focus is the key difference?

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andrewt416mo ago

Local focus wins elections, national noise just gets you lost in the shuffle.

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lopez.brooke6mo ago

My friend ran for school board last year. She spent all her time talking about fixing the playground and after school programs. Her opponent kept bringing up big national political fights. People at the grocery store knew her name because she showed up to local things. She won by a huge margin.

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ericschmidt4mo ago

Hogwash. Local focus is a trap. Small races are fine for local candidates, sure. But presidential campaigns? You need a national message that cuts through. That playground story is nice but totally irrelevant at this level. National noise isn't just noise. It defines the choice for voters. If you go too local you end up talking about potholes when the economy is on fire. People are smart enough to connect the dots between national leadership and their local problems. The 2020 approach wasn't reactive. It was defensive. You build a wall against the other side's attacks. Flip flopping to local issues just confuses your base. They want to know where you stand on the big stuff. State by state focus works if you have unlimited money. Most campaigns don't. You end up spreading thin, saying different things to different people. That looks dishonest.

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