Review of McGauley 2003
I had a comment that questioned the competitiveness of John McGauley's 2003 run at city clerk. Competitive may have been the wrong word for it. He lost 40-60% to Sandy Kennedy. But it was a successful campaign all the same.
Its an understatement that Linda Buskirk’s campaign was a disaster. When you compare the campaigns from 2003 and 1999 she lost 9% of the vote (I did remove totals from precincts not found in the 1999 race).
When a headlining campaign collapses, collateral damage trickles down to the rest of the party’s candidates (comparison of citywide-races only). Only John McGauley and Dr. John Crawford were able to fight off that handicap. Their race turnout was almost identical to the spread of 1999.
How they accomplished these feats were from two different paths. Dr. Crawford spent large amounts of money on mailers and large signs (there is speculation that he was spreading his name ID for future use in a larger campaign).
John McGauley did it by pounding the pavement and used his mastery of communication skills (if you've ever heard the man speak you will know that he is destined for bigger elected office). He worked hard and was able to maintain the party base where other candidates failed.
Had there been a stronger mayoral campaign his numbers likely would have gotten a boost and put him into the competitive range.
Its an understatement that Linda Buskirk’s campaign was a disaster. When you compare the campaigns from 2003 and 1999 she lost 9% of the vote (I did remove totals from precincts not found in the 1999 race).
When a headlining campaign collapses, collateral damage trickles down to the rest of the party’s candidates (comparison of citywide-races only). Only John McGauley and Dr. John Crawford were able to fight off that handicap. Their race turnout was almost identical to the spread of 1999.
How they accomplished these feats were from two different paths. Dr. Crawford spent large amounts of money on mailers and large signs (there is speculation that he was spreading his name ID for future use in a larger campaign).
John McGauley did it by pounding the pavement and used his mastery of communication skills (if you've ever heard the man speak you will know that he is destined for bigger elected office). He worked hard and was able to maintain the party base where other candidates failed.
Had there been a stronger mayoral campaign his numbers likely would have gotten a boost and put him into the competitive range.
posted by Indiana Pundit at 12:00 AM
4 Comments:
I'd say Didier defied the numbers as well in 03.
60% is considered a landslide.
Maybe you will next tell us how Paul Helmke ran such a masterful campaign for US Senate or US House.
Wait - Paul Helmke actually ran two masterful campaigns for the US House. He never served in Congress but that shouldn't be a problem in analyzing the brilliance, truly, when Paul runs his own campaign.
Didn't John McGauley work for Helmke?
Didier did defy expectations. Thanks for the reminder. Sometimes you miss the obvious
McGauley was Helmke's webmaster in 2002 on the primary campaign against Souder.
As for Didier, he worked the Komets' singing angle as well as anyone could, and now he's Talarico's lapdog on council. God bless GOP politics. (Vote no and get a treat, Tom! Good boy!)
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