Campaign Manager Chip Englander on Rand's Iowa strategy

[Gage]

Start around 26:08. This is a very important part of Rand's strategy, and is something that I've been trying to reassure people of for a while. If you look at most of Rand's top staff, it's all focused on ground game. Especially in a caucus, this is incredibly important. Chip Englander was campaign manager for Bruce Rauner, who was elected Governor of a blue state, Illinois, in the 2014 election, primarily because of ground game. Several others from this campaign are in top positions in the campaign.

If you also add in Concerned American Voters, headed by Frazee and Kibbe, which is focused solely on door to door, phone from home, get out the vote efforts, it's clear that Rand Paul has the best ground game out of any of the candidates. Students for Rand's operations as well will play a crucial role in getting young people to the caucus.

Just look at the straw poll in Mackinac last week, it's a clear example of ground game and flooding the vote with support when it actually matters. Summer before the election does not matter (polling) except for building infrastructure and ground game for when it does matter.

[kbs021]

Sounds like they "get it." I am extremely excited for the campaign in Iowa. The 600 student rally a week or so ago and the straw poll in MI continue to drive the point that we have an incredible ground game home. I think the debate will only strengthen that message. Campus organization is going to be gigantic come caucus night. Let's get it going!

[Okaloosa]

This is true, but if you are like me you are not in one of the first four states. You can help out at a critical straw poll were a win will give much needed headlines and take away from the fake polls of elderly republicans in states that don't vote early. We need your help in Washington DC this Friday and Saturday.


Friday September 25th
Straw Poll Voting - West Registration and Exhibit Hall 12:00-7:45 PM
AFTERNOON PLENARY SESSION - Regency Ballroom 2:00-5:00 PM
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate
(Along with several other speakers)
Saturday September 26th
Straw Poll Voting - West Registration and Exhibit Hall 7:00 AM-12:00 PM
Tickets are $50 for students 21 and under (You may also be able to get a scholarship)
One day tickets are $75

Register here!

[timosman]

Check Jeb Bush manager, Danny Diaz, former McCain campaign manager - http://arizonaspolitics.blogspot.com...paign-and.html , he appears after Chip. He seems to be totally disconnected from reality.

[PaleoPaul]

I hope they're registering voters like crazy.

[kbs021]

I hear they are DEFINITELY registering voters. They seem to have that concept completely covered. That alone is huge. I am sure Ron missed out on some key voters in certain states because of registering in time.

[PaleoPaul]

However, they can't rely on students alone. They need to get professional Millennials, a substantial portion of Gen X'ers (VERY important especially considering Rand is Gen X and would be our first Gen X President), and a chunk of Boomers and Silents as well.

[CPUd]

I hear they are DEFINITELY registering voters. They seem to have that concept completely covered. That alone is huge. I am sure Ron missed out on some key voters in certain states because of registering in time.

Yes, this was a known issue in 2012. They were coming out to the campuses, but not getting registered.

[Gage]

Also, having gone to dozens of events in Iowa, I can very much vouch for the Iowa campaign's team focus on specifically identifying supporters, not only just getting their name, email and phone number, but also getting them signed up as precinct captains, finding out which issues are most important, utilizing the toppest of top notch identification software used by groups like Koch Bros.

There was an article recently that highlighted how an event should be run, and stated that Rand's was the best at making sure to drive each of the intended points of a campaign stop home. It's great to have people see Rand speak, but at literally every Iowa event, Rand poses for photos with each attendee before speaking, delivers a unifying speech that focuses primarily on promoting his own ideas, introduces his Iowa campaign head and tells people to wait around to hear him speak. And then his Iowa campaign head gives a very convincing speech to sign up now, not wait until the final quarter (like a football game) and be a part of Team Rand from the very beginning, and tells the audience that everyone that signs up will get a special Iowa Rand lapel pin, and tells them to wear it everywhere they go.

After the event they have a table full of sign up cards that allow you to indicate how you'd like to help the campaign, including become a precinct captain. It's really a top notch ground game, and I don't remember seeing this much organization even in 2012 for Ron.

[Jackie Moon]

Start around 26:08. This is a very important part of Rand's strategy, and is something that I've been trying to reassure people of for a while. If you look at most of Rand's top staff, it's all focused on ground game. Especially in a caucus, this is incredibly important. Chip Englander was campaign manager for Bruce Rauner, who was elected Governor of a blue state, Illinois, in the 2014 election, primarily because of ground game. Several others from this campaign are in top positions in the campaign.

If you also add in Concerned American Voters, headed by Frazee and Kibbe, which is focused solely on door to door, phone from home, get out the vote efforts, it's clear that Rand Paul has the best ground game out of any of the candidates. Students for Rand's operations as well will play a crucial role in getting young people to the caucus.

Just look at the straw poll in Mackinac last week, it's a clear example of ground game and flooding the vote with support when it actually matters. Summer before the election does not matter (polling) except for building infrastructure and ground game for when it does matter.

Yep, completely agree with everything you said, and Chip said in the interview.

Like in 2012, there can be a bunch of candidates at this point but few actually have the ground game capable of both turning out voters in Iowa... and the infrastructure set up to be able to continue in the states afterwards.

Rand has and is building a great ground game to turn out caucus voters, and is doing the work now in states that come after Iowa and New Hampshire.

And yes, summer 2015 polling means nothing to February and March 2016 caucuses.

On today's date:

[kbs021]

The students for Rand organization is EXTREMELY organized.. They have a leadership chain on campuses that are very direct. They actually have dorm leaders which I think is exciting because that sounds incredible on point. This is an organized group that goes out and gets sign up, registers voters, and probably will have organized transportation. They have debate parties, meetings, accountability, etc. This is harnessing the energy that the ron paul campaign had.

[PaleoPaul]

Also, having gone to dozens of events in Iowa, I can very much vouch for the Iowa campaign's team focus on specifically identifying supporters, not only just getting their name, email and phone number, but also getting them signed up as precinct captains, finding out which issues are most important, utilizing the toppest of top notch identification software used by groups like Koch Bros.

There was an article recently that highlighted how an event should be run, and stated that Rand's was the best at making sure to drive each of the intended points of a campaign stop home. It's great to have people see Rand speak, but at literally every Iowa event, Rand poses for photos with each attendee before speaking, delivers a unifying speech that focuses primarily on promoting his own ideas, introduces his Iowa campaign head and tells people to wait around to hear him speak. And then his Iowa campaign head gives a very convincing speech to sign up now, not wait until the final quarter (like a football game) and be a part of Team Rand from the very beginning, and tells the audience that everyone that signs up will get a special Iowa Rand lapel pin, and tells them to wear it everywhere they go.

After the event they have a table full of sign up cards that allow you to indicate how you'd like to help the campaign, including become a precinct captain. It's really a top notch ground game, and really didn't see this much organization even in 2012 for Ron.

Wow, this campaign infrastructure sounds like Obama's in 2008 and 2012. VERY well-done!

I just hope we can prove Trump and the talking (air)heads wrong and win this thang...

[timosman]

The real question is how are they going to deal with the establishment shenanigans ? Do they have a strategy for this ?

[FSP-Rebel]

Also, having gone to dozens of events in Iowa, I can very much vouch for the Iowa campaign's team focus on specifically identifying supporters, not only just getting their name, email and phone number, but also getting them signed up as precinct captains, finding out which issues are most important, utilizing the toppest of top notch identification software used by groups like Koch Bros.

There was an article recently that highlighted how an event should be run, and stated that Rand's was the best at making sure to drive each of the intended points of a campaign stop home. It's great to have people see Rand speak, but at literally every Iowa event, Rand poses for photos with each attendee before speaking, delivers a unifying speech that focuses primarily on promoting his own ideas, introduces his Iowa campaign head and tells people to wait around to hear him speak. And then his Iowa campaign head gives a very convincing speech to sign up now, not wait until the final quarter (like a football game) and be a part of Team Rand from the very beginning, and tells the audience that everyone that signs up will get a special Iowa Rand lapel pin, and tells them to wear it everywhere they go.

After the event they have a table full of sign up cards that allow you to indicate how you'd like to help the campaign, including become a precinct captain. It's really a top notch ground game, and I don't remember seeing this much organization even in 2012 for Ron.

Powerful, thanks for that.

[Yehudi]

I hope they're registering voters like crazy.

I thought in Iowa you can register at the caucus?

[RabbitMan]

My main worry was never the ground game or strategy of the campaign--it's the money.

I hope we can continue to finance this thing. If they can express that they have a plan and solidify at least 10% of the vote in the coming months I'm set for the long haul. But you have to wonder how long they can finance everything...

[Crashland]

Is there anything non-students can do to help Students for Rand, other than just donating money to the campaign? If there's anything the slightly older grassroots can do to help motivate and support the Students for Rand it could go a long way.

[eleganz]

Phone from home is what brings all of our national activism to the front door of Iowa, NH, and Nevada.

GET ON PHONE FROM HOME.

[Bastiat's The Law]

One catch.


Students don't win Iowa caucuses.

[carlton]

One catch.


Students don't win Iowa caucuses.

Tis the season of breaking all previously established political rules.

[groverblue]

After watching the entire video I have to say that Carson will be the hardest to beat. Looks like he has a solid ground game.

[PaleoPaul]

One catch.


Students don't win Iowa caucuses.

Hence why I said he needs to recruit the Millennials who have already graduated from college and are working, those from Generation X (Rand's generation), and a small chunk of Boomers and Silents.

[timosman]

After watching the entire video I have to say that Carson will be the hardest to beat. Looks like he has a solid ground game.

You have to be kidding

[PaleoPaul]

After watching the entire video I have to say that Carson will be the hardest to beat. Looks like he has a solid ground game.

lol, Carson? The guy can barely stay awake during debates. You think he can get thousands of voters to rally for him for an entire evening?

[notsure]

um uh uh um uh ..Jeb's uh campaign manager um is um driving me uh nuts.

[Liberty74]

I hope they're registering voters like crazy.

Key

[Liberty74]

One catch.


Students don't win Iowa caucuses.

Exactly. Old religious voters DO. And if Chip doesn't realized that, he should be fired IMO. Who is this guy anyway?

65% or so voters in the Republican Iowa caucus in 2012 were 45 and up which is the norm...if Rand is not competitive with them, all the students in the world or in Iowa won't matter. Some of you are going to be in shock and need therapy because getting 10,000 students (mainly 17-24) in Iowa isn't going to happy. I'm not being a debby downer, being realistic. Ron didn't even come close to getting 10,000 students and that was the only places he campaigned, hence failed.

Go after that damn OLD vote and let the students carry you over...

[LatinsforPaul]

One catch.


Students don't win Iowa caucuses.

Maybe students with their parents and relatives do.

[MrGoose]

He made the point that this year it's different since school will be in session as the caucus is in February and not January (when school is on vacation). Although I agree, 10,000 students seems like a lot of people. How many colleges are even in Iowa? Looks like there's about 60 according to wikipedia. I see there's a lot of students and I believe it's doable, but it'll be really hard. Going by history, Rand is going to need 30,000 votes to win Iowa and Ron got 26,000 in 2012.

I think we need Ron in Iowa. I know he's older and probably tired, but he can appeal to older people more than his son. Rand needs almost all of Ron's old supporters AND the 10,000 students to win.

[Liberty74]

The real question is how are they going to deal with the establishment shenanigans ? Do they have a strategy for this ?

This too. Something Ron and his campaign did not do when Fox and all the right wing talk radio went after him in December bumping him out of first to third.

The Clinton campaign was very good at putting out fires. I forget what that strategy was called but Rand and his people better have one.