It’s not just the money, its how you spend it.
Democrats are used to being outraised and outspent in statewide elections. When the dust clears on this one, Brian Dubie will have raised and spent more than Peter Shumlin overall. But it aint just about the receipts, and the Dems have learned how to get more bang for their buck (and I don’t just mean that they spend tens of thousands less on internal polls to tell them what they already know).
Dems know how to target their resources. Sure, the data’s always a bit fuzzy, but at least they have data and they use it intelligently, rather than just carpet-bomb their message indiscriminately (and expensively). Consider what’s been reported at this site in the last 24 hours or so:
- GMD front pager and well-known Franklin County gadfly Sue Prent got a robocall from Jim Douglas encouraging her to vote for the local GOP House candidate.
- GMD Front Pager Julie Waters got a robocall encouraging her to vote for Brian Dubie.
- Another GMD commenter received one of the Penny Dubie robocalls (okay, not a public figure, but still – any voter ID information in Dubie HQ at all?
- And a couple weeks ago I received a mailing from Brian Dubie encouraging me to vote early for him. But then, I suppose I’m not that widely known as a Shumlin supporter, really.
I don’t know how Sue and Julie feel, but for my part, I say to Brian Dubie and pals, spend all the money you want trying to convince me to vote for you. Gold plate those mailers, even. Send a mariachi band to my door.
Because its clear that I haven’t made up my mind. Better throw some more persuasion money my way. C’mon. There’s still time. You know you wanna.
I got two robocalls urging me to vote for Dubie, and they were the same robocall, within 10 minutes of one another.
despite being a long-time Democrat on every progressive list I can think of. If it had return postage I would have sent her a Smooth Move teabag.
We got a live-person Dubie call yesterday, because people who voted in the Democratic primary must be likely Dubie voters or something.
a call from the IBEW for Dubie. I explained that I was disappointed in them for their tunnel vision, and not supporting Shumlin who actually cares about unions.
It was not the GOTV call he thought it would be.
Dubie campaign events have been announced by word of mouth, and email chain, rather than by public media, or even his own website.
His meet and greet in Shelburne was chalked on a signboard in front of the Country Store. It was a mid-morning event – not for working people.
I don’t know how this will play out in people’s feelings about the candidates.
I know that I would like a more public process, with fewer soundbites. That’s apparently not likely, from any candidates except our local ones.
Apparently the folks who create these mailing lists presume that since I’m in the military, I must be in favor of the absolute, unfettered right to own guns.
I’ve gotten maybe six or eight “Vote for Dubie” robo-calls, including a couple from his wife. I don’t know how they decided that I’d be a good contact, since I never vote for or contribute to Republicans.
I got two Dubie robo-calls this weekend. Shouldn’t be too hard to ID me as an unlikely Dubie voter…
One from Douglas, and one from the IBEW. That last was particularly irksome, as it praised Dubie for his “honesty and honor” – but nary a word on Vermont Yankee. I’d have understood, if not approved, if they had been upfront about their issue.
I’ve volunteered for his opponent in both the last election and this one, and was the Democratic County Committee Chair.
You’d THINK that might be clue that it would be a waste to spend any printing and postage money on me. But alas… It’s one of the few reasons I have hope that Craig’s spending will be ineffective.
I was wishing it had been a live person so I could tell him off.
I figured it was their nickel and they should spend it all. Let ’em deduce from that what they will. It will be interesting to see if I get more such calls in the future (since I didn’t hang-up); and what the nature of those calls might be.
Damn, I have yet to get one of these robo-calls. It would be fun to get them, listen, then tell the GOP where to stick it. Yet, on the other hand, I’ve been calling for the shumlin campaign and have had the misfortune to call some Dubie supporters that somehow got onto the list. I have a lively exchange with one of them. The others it was short and quick as I hit the hang-up button on the cell phone.
The GOP refuse to take me off their lists- I’ve gotten a few Dubie robo-calls in the last couple days, and got a push-poll a few months ago in which the caller asked my opinion of Obama’s “socialist agenda in Washington”. My reply: “Well, I’d be happy if it were a socialist agenda, since I am one; but since Obama refuses to push a socialist agenda, I’ll say I’m extememly disappointed in him.” At which point the caller (once the shock subsided) said “I think you’re probably not meant to be on our call list” and I replied “yeah, I doubt it.”
Still, Dubie calls me, his wife calls me- apparently they feel like I’m family!