Campaign and Election Paper
Instructions:-
Objective: The objective of this assignment is for students to think critically about effective political campaigns in Texas and understand both the personal and social responsibility inherent in representative democracy.
Description of the Assignment Scenario: “You have been hired to be the campaign manager for a candidate for Governor of the State of Texas. As campaign manager, you need to develop the campaign plan based on the four of the five (do not worry about campaign organization) components of a modern campaign discussed in the lecture notes. In your paper, please address the following (each of these four sections should be identified with a header – for example, there should be a section entitled, “The Candidate,”, etc.)”.
- Candidate: A description of the qualifications (personal and professional) of the fictional candidate you will be working for. Create the biography for your candidate, including name, experience, history and characteristics (include political party) for your candidate.
- Campaign Message: Select one of the campaign messages in the notes and talk about how it will be used in your campaign- it should be a good fit for the candidate you describe.
- Campaign Strategy: Explain what types of voters are likely to vote for you (based on candidate qualities and campaign message).
- Campaign Resources: Explain what types of people are most likely to donate money to and work in your campaign.
Solution
Campaign and Election Paper
Candidate
Lawrence Steiner was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 24, 1952. He spent most of his childhood in Oklahoma before moving to Texas for his higher education and graduated with an Economics degree from the University of Texas Austin. He later went to Texas A&M University and graduated with a second degree in law specializing in economics. He went on to get a job as an analyst for the Western Union where he oversaw matters relating to interdiction and government sanctions. He moved on to Exxon Mobil where he worked as Vice President of Public & Government Affairs. Three years later he was appointed to the Texas House of Representatives in 1991 where he served for two terms. He won election to the Senate on a Republican ticket in 1996, and he is still one of the most vocal Republican senators to date.
Message
Mr. Steiner pledges to wage war against the illegal immigrants, who have made Texas their entry point into America, and drive down the unemployment levels. Lawrence Steiner will call for increased patrolling and surveillance technology to discourage immigrants from crossing the border in the first place. Violent offenders and other criminals will be at the top of deportation lists of illegal immigrants. These steps are all aimed at safeguarding the lives and property of all legal Texas citizens. One of the key problems facing Texas today is immigration, and hence this message is likely to resonate with a large percentage of the electorate.
We live in times where every America desires to feel safe and secure about their lives and future. Lawrence has been in public service and senate for a long while, and he has created a track record of getting things done. He has been one of the most vocal Republican senators and is certainly well respected across the divide. The strategy is to build on this track record and leadership experience with a promise of safeguarding the lives of Texans once he becomes governor.
Strategy
The policies of Lawrence Steiner will elicit support from diverse quarters. The policies on curbing immigration will resonate with many conservative thinkers, whose main cause of worry is safeguarding the future of their children. Parents will rest easy when they know there is a governor who is keen on dealing with illegal immigration.
The business community will also like to work with a governor who is keen on creating a conducive environment for their operations. Increasing funding for business incentive programs will encourage companies to expand. The business community will appreciate the move, and hence they will support the endorsement of Lawrence as governor. Wealthy business owners will like the policies of Steiner and back his campaign.
African and Latin American people are not going to be enthusiastic about endorsing the candidate for governor. However, a majority of the white population is likely to back the move of strengthening the immigration rules.
Resources
Contributions come from parties that stand to gain or benefit from a particular politician (Masket, 2016). The business community is likely to be significant contributors to the campaign. The proposed policies offer plenty of incentives for the business sector, and hence the business owners will be keen to make sure the election of the governor is successful. Lawrence has had a successful career in the corporate world, and many wealthy company owners are likely to back his election for governor of Texas.
There is a huge number of volunteers willing to be
part of Mr. Steiner’s campaign. Many university students think that
safeguarding the future of Americans by checking illegal immigration is the way
to go. The candidate has been in public service and has built a reliable track
record. The chances of clinching the seat are very high, based on the message
and campaign strategy.
References
Masket, S. (2016, January 11). The People Who Finance Political Campaigns. Retrieved August 24, 2017, from https://psmag.com/news/the-people-who-finance-political-campaigns
