Day: August 14, 2012

Republican Case Study on How Congressional Candidates Can Counter the ‘Ryan Effect’

Buck Banks

Now that Mitt Romney has named Paul Ryan as his running mate, the Democrats will position him as every Republican congressional candidate’s running mate. The NRCC has already issued an interesting case study video of how to counter the Democrats. Hey Democrats, are you watching? Please?

With Congressman Ryan on the Ticket, Obama Is Positioned to Run Against the Least Popular Political Group: The Republican House

Jon Ponder

In the 1996 presidential campaign, the Clinton-Gore reelection team unilaterally made House Speaker Newt Gingrich Bob Dole’s de facto running mate, shunting aside Dole’s real vice presidential choice, Jack Kemp, a moderate centrist.

In a series of campaign ads like the one above, the reelect team were successful in tying the speaker — one of the least popular and most divisive figures in politics then (as now) who had shut down the federal government on two separate occasions a few months earlier — to Dole in part because Dole was the majority leader in the Senate, Gingrich’s counterpart in the leadership of the upper body. Dole’s association with Gingrich became so onerous that he resigned from the Senate in June 1996 to focus full time on the campaign. Even so, Clinton walloped him, winning by 8.5 percentage points in November.

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Both Prez Candidates Can Expect Modest ‘Bump’ In Polling Following Their Conventions

Buck Banks

5 percentage points

Size of the median “bump” or “bounce” earned by presidential candidates in Gallup polling after their conventions since 1964. “Both Mitt Romney and President Obama can expect a small but significant increase in support following their respective party conventions. But sustaining those bumps is no sure thing,” National Journal reports.

With Ryan Pick, Romney Will ‘Probably Lose. Maybe Big.’

Buck Banks

I think it’s a very bold choice. And an exciting and interesting pick. It’s going to elevate the campaign into a debate over big ideas. It means Romney-Ryan can run on principles and provide some real direction and vision for the Republican Party. And probably lose. Maybe big.

— Former Bush adviser Mark McKinnon, quoted by Politico, on Mitt Romney’s choice of Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate.

Ryan Is Just Palin with a PowerPoint Presentation

Buck Banks

The most cutting criticism of Ryan, shared only by a handful of strategists, is that Ryan isn’t ready to be president — or doesn’t come across as ready. A youthful man who looks even younger than his 42 years, Ryan could end up labeled as Sarah Palin with a PowerPoint presentation, several operatives said.

— Alexander Burns, Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Martin, in an article for Politico that surveyed more than three dozen Republican strategists and campaign insiders.