Uncivil Discourse: Campaign Strategists and Political Polarization
Uncivil discourse has become increasingly prevalent in today’s political environment. It is the result of many factors but is fueled in part by strategies embraced by political consultants on behalf of their candidates.
The Columbia Basin Badger Club has asked two veteran political consultants, one Democrat and one Republican, to discuss their trade and respond to questions like: Do negative political campaign strategies really work? How, and to what degree, do political consultants take advantage of phycological theories that suggest that our brains are hard-wired to be liberal or conservative, or that fear appeals more to conservatives than liberals? How are campaign consultants compensated? Is there any established code of ethics for political campaign consultants?
Peter Graves is a director at Axiom, a Seattle-based political consulting firm supporting Republican candidates at every level of electoral politics. He has been directly involved as a media and general consultant in 25 states. He was a recipient of the 2017 American Association of Political Consultants “40 Under 40” Award. He is a graduate of Western Washington University with BA in Political Science and a BA in Economics and resides in Renton with his wife Katie and their three children.
Michael Charles is managing partner of Upper Left Strategies. He is a seasoned political strategist with over 15 years of experience in the field. His journey began on the Obama 2008 campaign in Iowa. He has played a pivotal role in campaigns from local city councils to statewide and congressional races. Charles has partnered with a wide range of clients, including political candidates, advocacy organizations, government agencies, and businesses to develop tailored solutions that resonate with audiences and achieve tangible results. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa with a degree in political science.
They will tangle, civilly, on Thursday, August 29 at Noon. The forum will be presented on Zoom free to Badger Club members. Non-members will pay $5.00.
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