What can we learn from Dave Brat's winning Strategy?

[Todd]

So I think it would be a good idea to try to nail down what the factors which contributed to this guy primarying a strong Republican. Or was Cantor not so strong?

What were the key reasons that Brat was able to win a primary where he was outspent nearly more than 10 to 1?

I just can't help but believe there are many lessons our grassroots efforts need to take away from something like this.

 

[CPUd]

Just from what I have read from members here, it has to do with how the state party is run, compared to other state parties. Also, it goes back to organizational efforts that were started at least 2 years ago, and the Cuccinelli election was a major flash point.

Also, it seemed like Cantor was trying to run the state party by proxy, while he spent most of his time in DC.

 

[mosquitobite]

Just from what I have read from members here, it has to do with how the state party is run, compared to other state parties. Also, it goes back to organizational efforts that were started at least 2 years ago, and the Cuccinelli election was a major flash point.

Also, it seemed like Cantor was trying to run the state party by proxy, while he spent most of his time in DC.

This is my research as well.

We here should not get tied into the "immigration" angle the MSM is selling.

It was about the establishment cutting off the knees of their base, simply to show their power. Well they might have won a battle, but they lost the war.

Strategically for us? I think we sometimes need to let them put the noose around their own necks more often. I see it locally here even.

We need to be willing to lose the battles to win the war. And be in the right place, at the right time, with a STRONG candidate.

http://thebullelephant.com/top-ten-reasons-eric-cantor-lost/

Cantor’s district is dead center in the state and its not that hard to get to. Nobody would have given Dave Brat the time of day no matter what he attacked Cantor with if it weren’t for this colossal mistake rooted in Cantor’s vanity and dream to somehow become the Republican boss of Virginia. Cantor needlessly angered so many people that suddenly everyone was willing to give Brat a listen. He is a college professor, this is not someone who will easily be distorted as some sort of nut job unfit for office. He is thoughtful, smart, and hardworking.

https://www.redstate.com/diary/mason_beer/2014/06/10/reason-eric-cantor-lost/

 

[Matt Collins]

Go to the Leadership Institute and Campaign for Liberty and learn how to win elections:
www.leadershipinstitute.org

http://www.facltraining.org/facl2/schools.htm

 

[devil21]

From what I've read, Brat and his grassroots supporters did a lot of door-to-door retail politicking. He won the old fashioned way. Not with money but with a message that resonated with likely GOP voters.

 

[Carlybee]

http://video.lauraingraham.com/Who-is-David-Brat-26250636?playlistId=993#.U5iuudq9KK1

 

[nayjevin]

From what I've read, Brat and his grassroots supporters did a lot of door-to-door retail politicking. He won the old fashioned way. Not with money but with a message that resonated with likely GOP voters.

He said he focused on people instead of money. And he is a very good speaker. It's almost obvious without even hearing the words he's saying that he's telling the truth, but the words make sense too. For people like that, it just takes talking to enough people for enough time about the important things.

 

[juvanya]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/meet-dave-brats-23-year-old-campaign-manager/article/2549565

This short interview tells you basically all you need to know.
- stay positive
- talk about issues
- knock on doors (leather and wood)

This is the problem with third parties and other upstarts. They dont know the value of college students. You just need to get a group of them together, interested, and organized, and theyll do anything. Brats campaign manager is a few months younger than me and apparently has the same playbook as me. Maybe I should put myself out there more as a campaign manager. And now this guy will have money tossed at him from across the country for unseating the House Majority Leader.

 

[RandallFan]

The MSM is denying the immigration issue. Cantor blew up his own campaing with his stupid amnesty mailers where implied 6 million dont get amnesty but 6 million do get amnesty.

 

[devil21]

He said he focused on people instead of money. And he is a very good speaker. It's almost obvious without even hearing the words he's saying that he's telling the truth, but the words make sense too. For people like that, it just takes talking to enough people for enough time about the important things.

You're right. He sounds like a more polished Brannon...or at least what I wanted Brannon to sound like as far as tone and delivery. I hope Greg can learn from Brat for his future campaigns that going slower while speaking the truth wins more votes than going fast while speaking the truth.

From Brat's website:

Monday, June 2

Spotsylvania Town Hall
8740 Courthouse Rd
Spotsylvania, VA
7 pm

Tuesday, June 3

Laura Ingraham Rally
Laura Ingraham Headlines Brat Campaign Rally - Featuring Laura Ingraham, Ambassador Alan Keyes, Dave Brat for Congress and Shak Hill for Senate

The Dominion Club
6000 Dominion Club Dr.
Glen Allen, Va
7 pm

Wednesday, June 4

Louisa Town Hall
Louisa Fine Arts Center
212 Fredericksburg Ave
Louisa, VA 23093
7 pm

Thursday, June 5

Culpeper Town Hall
19601 Church Rd.
Brandy Station, VA 22714
7 pm

Friday, June 6

Orange Town Hall
235 Warren Street
Orange, Virginia 22960
7 pm

Saturday, June 7

Ashland Strawberry Festival
Henry Street
Ashland, VA,
11 am- 2 pm

Yep, stuff like that. Glen/Gunny showed us long ago that this is how you win, not dumping boatloads of money into unaccountable campaign apparatus and hoping for victory. It's always been the way to win....seems some (ahem Collins) have forgotten about it.

 

[devil21]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/meet-dave-brats-23-year-old-campaign-manager/article/2549565

This short interview tells you basically all you need to know.
- stay positive
- talk about issues
- knock on doors (leather and wood)

This is the problem with third parties and other upstarts. They dont know the value of college students. You just need to get a group of them together, interested, and organized, and theyll do anything. Brats campaign manager is a few months younger than me and apparently has the same playbook as me. Maybe I should put myself out there more as a campaign manager. And now this guy will have money tossed at him from across the country for unseating the House Majority Leader.

Many of us would make EXCELLENT campaign staff. It's already been covered in the Thom Tillis Wins thread that the Paul Inc controlled campaigns won't hire us though.

 

[cjm]

Go to the Leadership Institute and Campaign for Liberty and learn how to win elections:
www.leadershipinstitute.org

http://www.facltraining.org/facl2/schools.htm

I second this^

We can say "knock on doors" is a key to victory but there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. I won't list the door knocking offenses that I have first hand knowledge of, but I will say that there's a lot of room for improvement in this area. The online training at the Leadership Institute site is very good.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/meet-dave-brats-23-year-old-campaign-manager/article/2549565

This short interview tells you basically all you need to know.
- stay positive
- talk about issues
- knock on doors (leather and wood)

This is the problem with third parties and other upstarts. They dont know the value of college students. You just need to get a group of them together, interested, and organized, and theyll do anything. Brats campaign manager is a few months younger than me and apparently has the same playbook as me. Maybe I should put myself out there more as a campaign manager. And now this guy will have money tossed at him from across the country for unseating the House Majority Leader.

In addition to the three items above, I would add 'earned media' as a factor in Brat's win. Getting the likes of Levin, Coulter, Ingraham, and Beck talking about Brat was a pretty unique event in a primary like this.

Also, collaboration with liberty minded organizations helped. Completing the C4L survey and the VCDL survey allow members of those organizations to know who Brat was and know where he stood on issues important to them. Cantor refused to return his VCDL survey and that bought him a robocall. From a VCDL email:

I was told by a 7th Congressional District poll worker that there was a lot of talk at his polling place, and at other polling places, about the effectiveness of the VCDL robocalls last week. Turns out a lot of gun owners who had put Cantor signs in their yards, based on the NRA's endorsement of Cantor, removed and replaced them with Brat signs when the robocall pointed out that Cantor had not returned his VCDL candidate survey! No doubt that Cantor’s prior support for One Handgun a Month had also caught many by surprise.

We should also note that all one can do is run the best campaign possible with the resources available. Brat's victory was a combination of a good campaign on his part and a poor campaign on Cantor's part. If Cantor had run a better campaign, his $5mil would have crushed Brat.

 

[CPUd]

Ah, here is one I remember now that it just got bumped:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?447764-Virginia-GOP-grassroots-in-open-revolt

 

[francisco]

...It's almost obvious without even hearing the words he's saying that he's telling the truth, but the words make sense too. For people like that, it just takes talking to enough people for enough time about the important things.

I know a couple of other politicians like that. Only one is retired.

 

[Vanguard101]

It probably is really important to go door to door. Shows you care.

 

[jjdoyle]

You're right. He sounds like a more polished Brannon...or at least what I wanted Brannon to sound like as far as tone and delivery. I hope Greg can learn from Brat for his future campaigns that going slower while speaking the truth wins more votes than going fast while speaking the truth.

From Brat's website:

Yep, stuff like that. Glen/Gunny showed us long ago that this is how you win, not dumping boatloads of money into unaccountable campaign apparatus and hoping for victory. It's always been the way to win....seems some (ahem Collins) have forgotten about it.

You just clearly haven't taken enough courses to learn how to win. The links were even provided above you.
When I get the PAC PAC up and running, I'll make sure to send you a PM with the details of our first shindig and invite you to it. It will be filled with lots of information (and food!), you can't get anywhere else.

 

[NewRightLibertarian]

Go to the Leadership Institute and Campaign for Liberty and learn how to win elections:
www.leadershipinstitute.org

http://www.facltraining.org/facl2/schools.htm

Bravo to the guys at the Leadership Institute and/or FACL. This win seems to follow their blueprint pretty much to a T. I hope it builds momentum and galvanizes grassroots patriots all over the country.

 

[devil21]

You just clearly haven't taken enough courses to learn how to win. The links were even provided above you.
When I get the PAC PAC up and running, I'll make sure to send you a PM with the details of our first shindig and invite you to it. It will be filled with lots of information (and food!), you can't get anywhere else.

The PAC PAC? lol Ok well I look forward to the invitation to the PAC PAC.

 

[Matt Collins]

Yep, stuff like that. Glen/Gunny showed us long ago that this is how you win, not dumping boatloads of money into unaccountable campaign apparatus and hoping for victory. It's always been the way to win....seems some (ahem Collins) have forgotten about it.

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/strawman

 

[MichaelDavis]

My theories:

-Cantor did not realize the seriousness of his threat until it was too late
-Cantor is part of the unpopular Congressional leadership
-Cantor focused on Washington D.C. and neglected Virginia

-Very conservative Republicans voted for Brat in the primary
-Democrats voted for Brat in the primary

-Cantor's negative ads against Brat helped him. There is no such thing as bad publicity. Voters did not know about Brat until Cantor began attacking him, making him a credible alternative.
-Brat ran an aggressive grassroots campaign. Cantor did not have a get out the vote operation.

No, it was not amnesty or Judaism that caused his loss.