The Week Ahead
The big event this week is obviously the election on Tuesday, where a handful of interesting intra-party races will be resolved, highlighted by the 3rd Congressional District contest dominated by the immigration issue.
Three significant legislative meetings are scheduled this week, including the Medicaid Interim Committee this morning at 9 a.m.; the Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel, Tuesday at 2 p.m.; and the Privately Owned Health Care Organization Task Force Thursday at 9 a.m. For agendas and more information, see the legislative calendar.
Media Watch
No Fun in Journalism?
In his weekly NationalJournal.com column on the news media, William Powers asks a very interesting question: “Is anyone in journalism having fun anymore?” The column opens with a discussion of 2005 as "simply the worst of times" for the news business.
I hear from friends in the news business that morale isn’t very high at Utah’s two major newspapers. But that’s pretty normal. It is the standard state of affairs for reporters to be crabby and complaining. My advice to journalists: Just enjoy it. You perform an important public service (along with school teachers, police officers, etc.) and you get to cover interesting things. There aren’t any perfect jobs, and there are many that are worse than yours.
Fundraising Events
Save the date: The G.O.Pen Golf Tournament will be held Thursday, Aug. 3, 1 p.m. registration, at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. It will be followed by the annual GOP Summer BBQ at 6 p.m. with Gov. Jon Huntsman. More info: Abby Balfour, 533-9777, abby@UTGOP.org.
House Republicans will hold their annual Bowler’s Ball on July 18, at Shepherd’s All Star Lanes, 1776 W. 7800 South, West Jordan. Meet and greet at 6 p.m., bowling at 7. Prizes for best team score and best dressed bowling team. Four-team sponsorship is $1,250; individual tickets, $400. RSVP to Mary Blase by July 12, 801.318.6307 or bowling@alexanders.com.
Blog Watch
Captain's Quarters says: "Every once in a while, events remind us that politics can be very entertaining. Today's case in point: John Jacobs, a Utah politician running for Congress, who believes that Satan has made his life difficult ever since announcing his candidacy against Chris Cannon in the Republican primary" (hat tip: The Warren) (see also here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here)... Senate candidate Pete Ashdown says: "I will continue to fight for the American worker and will join Jim Matheson in voting down congressional pay-raises until they are properly warranted by a debt-free government, a responsible budget, and a strong American economy" (see also here)... Liberty for Utahns! asks: "Are libertarians constitutionalists?"... The Third Avenue endorses House District 25 candidate Josh Ewing (see also here and here)... Article VI Blog is dedicated entirely to exploring the religious issues surrounding Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's likely '08 presidential campaign (hat tip: The Wasatch Front)... Green Jello says: "I'm curious if [Gov. Huntsman's] main purpose in getting elected was to have the flat tax established so he could leave office as the Champion of Wealthy and the Elite"... Paul Rolly says: "Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson's renewed push to get Salt Lake Real's professional soccer stadium in the Utah State Fairpark may be a noble attempt to help his city, but the reality of politics in Utah will make his quest an impossible dream"... Capital Carnage says: "One very prominent State Legislator told me that he had to be careful in how he avoided voting for the Capitol parking structure because he was afraid of invoking Sen. [Al] Mansell's wrath. This was interesting to me because Sen. Mansell is essentially a lame duck, but the lawmaker informed me that Sen. Mansell still has the most 'Swat' of any law maker or politician on the hill. Including the governor."
-- Compiled by Golden Webb
Campaign Tip
Consultants: Four Questions to Ask
By Joe Garecht at www.LocalVictory.com
Political consultants are a fact of life in today's campaign landscape. Consultants are normally seasoned professionals whose advice and support in running your political campaign (or organization) is extremely valuable. With the recent explosion in the number of campaign operatives who offer their services as consultants, it's important that your campaign finds an advisor you can trust. Before hiring your next consultant, be sure to ask yourself these
four questions:
1. Do I Really Need a Consultant?
Many campaigns think that they need help from political consultants "because everyone else uses them too." Nothing could be further from the truth. Not every campaign needs professional political help. The smallest of campaigns can get by with just the candidate, his or her family, and a few volunteers. Similarly, if your campaign only plans to spend a few thousand dollars on the race, consultants are probably not the best use of your money.
On the other hand, if you are running for a state legislative position or above, or if you plan to spend tens of thousands of dollars on your campaign, you certainly could use the help of a seasoned campaign pro. Likewise, most political organizations and committees would benefit from the help and knowledge that a consultant would bring.
2. What Type of Help Do I Need?
Today's political consultant generally focuses on one or two areas of a political campaign. So before you hire professional help, ask yourself what type of advice or technical knowledge your campaign needs. Some of the most common types of political consultants are:
- General Consultants: Handle overall campaign strategy, message, and organization, and may also help with fundraising, media, press and campaign management
- Media Consultants: Handle message, as well as television and radio advertising, may advise on overall campaign strategy
- Fundraising Consultants: Handle political fundraising, may advise on campaign finance reporting and donor list management
- Direct Mail Consultants: Handle direct mail message and strategy
- Internet Consultants: Handle political Internet and e-mail message and strategy, website development and online advertising
- Pollsters: Handle campaign polling, may also advise on message, strategy and issues development
3. Will I Get Along with my Consultant?
While you and your political consultant don't need to be best friends, it is important to find a consultant your candidate and campaign staff gets along with. You'll be spending lots of time together, so be sure that you feel comfortable working with and taking advice from your consultant. The best way to find out if you "click" is to interview your consultant before hiring him or her. For large campaigns that will be spending lots of campaign cash, this interview should be in person. For smaller campaigns that will be working with the consultant primarily over the phone /e-mail / fax machine, a phone interview will suffice.
4. Is my Consultant Qualified?
It's important to find out whether or not your consultant is qualified before you hire him or her. There is no professional licensing of political consultants, so anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a consultant. During the interview process, find out what clients your consultant has worked with in the past, what his or her educational and professional background are, and whether or not they are a member of the American Association of Political Consultants. While membership in the AAPC doesn't guarantee that someone is qualified, it does mean that the consultant has agreed to live up to the AAPC's Code of Ethics, which can be found here.
Hiring a political consultant needn't be an overwhelming task. A political consultant can add the knowledge and skills your campaign or organization needs to win. Use the questions above, along with recommendations from fellow campaigns, candidates, and party groups, as well as an interview with a number of potential consultants to help you find the best for your campaign.
For more great articles on winning elections, check out the Local Victory archives here.
Taxpayers Assoc. Opposes Special Session
The Utah Taxpayers Association announces its opposition to the 2015 Transportation Alliance's request for a special legislative session to enact legislation enabling counties to increase their transit/transportation sales tax rate (see press release).
Forest Plan Revision Open Houses
The Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club encourages its supporters to attend the Ashley National Forest's Forest Plan Revision Open Houses in Vernal and Salt Lake City on the 27th and 28th "to show your support for an expanded High Uintas Wilderness." For more info, click here.
Washington Watch
Hatch Amendment Close to Passage
Columnist opposes Sen. Orrin Hatch's proposed flag desecration amendment, saying flag burning is a "phony issue" (Newsweek); the amendment is close to having enough votes for Senate approval (Los Angeles Times); Hatch says of the amendment: "There's a deeper meaning to what I'm doing. My goal is to give the people the right to decide these important issues and send a message to the Supreme Court that they should be careful before they enter into decisions that bind everyone in America on social issues" (Wall Street Journal); editorial endorses Hatch-sponsored legislation that would increase federal funding of embryonic stem cell research (The Pueblo Chieftain).
Cannon/Jacob Race Scrutinized
Article: "Republicans are betting their control of the House on the issue of immigration, and no test case is being watched more closely than the [Utah's 3rd District congressional] primary election [between Rep. Chris Cannon and John Jacob]" (Washington Times); Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo "is the phantom factor haunting" the Cannon/Jacob primary (Rocky Mountain News); Cannon "has lost a comfortable lead and heads into tomorrow's primary in a statistical tie" (Washington Times); various news outlets react to Jacob's assertion that he's facing opposition from Satan in his bid to unseat Cannon (The Independent (UK), Fox News, Sploid, and CBS News).
The Cannon Report
Rep. Cannon joins with 246 of his colleagues to pass the Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006 (see press release); Cannon votes to permanently repeal the estate tax (press release); the House Resources Committee approves Cannon's Utah Recreational Land Exchange Act, sending it to the House floor (press release); Cannon introduces "three bills that will protect and extend patent rights to guard the emblems of the American Legion, as well as those of the American Legion Women's Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion, from non-official commercial entities seeking to make a profit" (press release); Cannon chairs a subcomittee hearing on state taxation of Interstate telecommunications services (press release); Cannon to join with Riverton city officials today for the official ribbon-cutting of the Mont and Mark Stephensen Veterans Memorial Post Office building (press release).
Bennett's Billboard Amendment
Article looks at the controversy surrounding Sen. Bob Bennett's failed amendment to a federal appropriations bill that would have allowed the reconstruction of "nonconforming" billboards in 13 states affected by recent hurricanes (Christian Science Monitor).
Matheson Watch
Rep. Jim Matheson, commenting on an Indiana race, says representing a district that is ideologically conservative but traditionally Democrat isn't easy (Fox News); editorial endorses Matheson's call to put a halt to the automatic cost-of-living congressional pay raise (Pantagraph.com); Matheson says "the fight against wasteful spending should get a boost from [Thursday's] passage of the bipartisan Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006" (see press release); Matheson supports "passage of legislation to significantly scale back the estate tax, saying it is the next best thing to a permanent repeal" (press release).
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