Mike Biundo: New Hampshire and Iowa for Dummies
What can I say? I am old. This cycle, I have joined my tenth presidential campaign. I have spent more days in Iowa since 2011 than in any other state (besides my home state of New Hampshire). Being a long-time veteran of the first two GOP presidential contests has earned me a degree in the First in the Nation-States of Iowa and New Hampshire. I have become fluent in Pizza Ranch fare, Casey’s Breakfast Pizza, poutine, the West Side of Manchester, the Red Arrow Diner, pork tenderloin, lobster rolls, sweet corn, and the only clam chowder that should be allowed to be served – New England Clam Chowder.
Let me offer advice to the young visiting operatives and reporters heading to these immensely influential states. The people of these geo-political juggernauts know they play an oversized role and take it very seriously. They understand the issues. They know the candidates, and before caucus and primary day, many of them will have met them six times. They also know every president we have had in their adult lifetimes. Sometimes on a first-name basis. Many of them have spent more time roaming the halls of the White House during Christmas time than many of you have back in your hometown.
Talk to them, and more importantly, listen to them. Most of the time, these voters see the trends in a race and know which candidate will pop up before the polls show it, certainly before the national pundits figure it out. Get out of the Marriott in downtown Des Moines or the Hilton Garden in Manchester and go to the diners, the farms (Dunkin’s in NH), and the local watering holes. Talk to the locals. However, when you talk to the locals, please, for the love of all things holy, can you learn how to pronounce the local counties, cities, and towns? If I have to go through one more primary cycle where a candidate, staff member, or reporter mispronounces Nevada, IA (neh-VAY-duh); Chillicothe, IA (chill-uh-KAW-thee); Berlin, NH (BER-lin); Coos County, NH (KOH-oss); and Lebanon, NH (LEB-a-nin), I may lose it. If you are an operative and a local tells you their state is different, don’t roll your eyes – it is. Nowhere in America do the voters get this much access to this many top-level candidates. Where else would a farmer from Sioux County, Iowa, get to sit down with three other people in a diner and have lunch with the eventual caucus winner Rick Santorum in 2012?
I have done political campaigns in nearly every state; there’s so much to love about our country and people. However, Iowa and New Hampshire will always hold a special place in my heart because of the people and the process. Oh, yes, and the food. It’s wicked pissa, and now I am hungry; I am gonna need to grab a pop and some lobsta for supper, don’t ya know.
Client Announcement: NH-01 & Russell Prescott
Yesterday, our client Russell Prescott announced his candidacy for New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District – and we are excited to be on board. Here is a snippet from his press release:
“Prescott is no stranger to hard work. He’s entering the race already surpassing six figures in fundraising commitments, with over $100,000 already pledged from over 80 individual donors across the state.
“He also announces that his campaign general consultants will be the New Hampshire-based Ascent Strategic, with campaign veterans Michael Biundo and Derek Dufresne running the daily operations. Both have run and won primary and general election campaigns in NH-01 and across the nation.
“Michael Biundo added, ‘Russell Prescott is precisely the type of individual we need representing New Hampshire in Congress. He has the public and private sector experience to hit the ground running on day one and the record to go toe-to-toe with Chris Pappas. He’s honest and forthright and has proven that he has the independent backbone to stand up for what he believes in. I admire that.
“‘Russell has run and won in swing seats in the past while remaining steadfast in his conservative beliefs. That’s precisely the sort of nominee we need if we are going to win next year.”
The team at Ascent Strategic calls New Hampshire home, along with South Carolina, Indiana, Washington DC, Ohio, Florida, and Utah. With top-notch consulting and award-winning services, we work with our clients to make a difference in their respective races or project. Reach out today to connect with our knowledgeable sales team to see how we can help you reach your goals this cycle.
