Listening to Voters
2013-09-12 - by
A veteran political hand once gave me this insight into how political people overestimate how much attention voters are paying: “The voters listen a lot slower than we talk.”
Two pieces of recent evidence: John Frank’s fascinating set of articles in the N&O about voters in swing districts and a new poll on the Republican U.S. Senate race.
The striking thing about Frank’s reporting is how much more attention Raleigh’s gyrations get in Raleigh than across the state.
The big stuff gets through: Republicans de-funding education and disrespecting teachers – and abortion restrictions. But even voters who cared a lot about tax reform didn’t know what happened on that. And several Cary residents hadn’t heard of the Moral Monday protests.
Then there’s the PPP poll showing that 57 percent of Republicans have never heard of Senator Phil Berger.
Pause a sec and get that in focus. Berger – known to some as “Governor Berger” – was the biggest figure and most powerful politician in Raleigh this year. He drove the state’s agenda and dragged along Speaker Tillis and Governor McCrory.
But six in 10 Republicans – Republicans, mind you – don’t even know who he is.
One thing I miss about being a campaign consultant is showing numbers like that to puffed-up politicians and watching their egos deflate.
Listening to Voters
2013-09-12/
A veteran political hand once gave me this insight into how political people overestimate how much attention voters are paying: “The voters listen a lot slower than we talk.”
Two pieces of recent evidence: John Frank’s fascinating set of articles in the N&O about voters in swing districts and a new poll on the Republican U.S. Senate race.
The striking thing about Frank’s reporting is how much more attention Raleigh’s gyrations get in Raleigh than across the state.
The big stuff gets through: Republicans de-funding education and disrespecting teachers – and abortion restrictions. But even voters who cared a lot about tax reform didn’t know what happened on that. And several Cary residents hadn’t heard of the Moral Monday protests.
Then there’s the PPP poll showing that 57 percent of Republicans have never heard of Senator Phil Berger.
Pause a sec and get that in focus. Berger – known to some as “Governor Berger” – was the biggest figure and most powerful politician in Raleigh this year. He drove the state’s agenda and dragged along Speaker Tillis and Governor McCrory.
But six in 10 Republicans – Republicans, mind you – don’t even know who he is.
One thing I miss about being a campaign consultant is showing numbers like that to puffed-up politicians and watching their egos deflate.