Political and Campaign Strategy

Transforming the vision of a better community into reality is at the heart of public policy.  Using the political campaign as a model, this course will give students the tools to do just that.      The course will meet during the final months of the 2012 presidential election, which will provide a valuable framework in which to examine the infrastructure and mechanics of successful campaigns. We will look at the components of effective media strategies, both paid and earned, polling, and the increasingly influential role of the internet and social networking tools for fundraising and mobilization.    Presentations by policy experts, public officials, business and labor leaders, and political operatives involved in the 2012 election will provide students with a working knowledge of the fundamentals of a political campaign and an understanding of the principles that underlie effective campaign strategy, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge to succeed in the public arena. Past guest speakers have included David Axelrod, Lynn Sweet, and Governor Pat Quinn.    Kevin O’Keefe and Kevin Conlon co-teach this pragmatic course.  Both instructors have extensive experience managing political campaigns and advocating for policy change.