Category: Blog

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Note from Chris: Silver Bells and Silver Linings

Since November 5, I’ve looked for “silver linings” wherever I can find them. From truly important things like spending Thanksgiving with my relatives from North Carolina who were affected by Hurricane Helene, to trivial matters like finding a great parking spot (my wife’s superpower), silver linings are all around us. Give it a try yourself — it can really improve your outlook.

Convergence found some election-related silver linings this year. Working with dedicated partners from coast to coast, we were fortunate to lend a hand to important victories, including:

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Note from Chris: A Strange, Successful, Encouraging Year

Well that was a strange year!  

As inflation rose to generational highs earlier this year, voters seemed poised to vent their anger at the “party in power” in DC. Many progressives (including me) feared the worst in November.  

But the shock of the Dobbs decision in June spurred an awakening among progressives (and plenty of moderates too) that fundamental rights are at risk, and worth fighting for. That, along with Trump and his witches brew of malignant narcissism, “celebrity” candidates/sycophants, and conspiracy-addled extremists, proved to be the catalyst for broad general election successes for Democrats and progressive reformers. 

Voters signaled their desire to turn the corner from three tumultuous years in American history. They expressed optimism and pragmatism, in contrast to the chaos and extremism the Trumpers represent(ed). It was a movement affirming the institutions of our democracy, and it was, in a word, encouraging!

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Lucky Number Seven

This cold Presidents’ Day weekend marks Convergence’s 7th birthday. We made it to second grade! Alas, school is virtual for the time being. But I want to thank you, our political playground pals, for helping us get this far. We can’t wait to trade fruit roll-ups and Doritos again as soon as public health allows.

Here’s hoping seven is a lucky number for all of us this year!

PS — Isn’t it nice to have a Presidents’ Day without having to read nauseating tweets from the President congratulating himself for being such a great President?  #Refreshing! 
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Note from Chris – Silver Linings and Lemonade

Friend, What can be said about 2020 that hasn’t already been declared, muttered, cursed, or screamed by all of us multiple times this year? As a group exercise that doesn’t require Zoom, I invite you to verbalize your favorite/least favorite 2020-ism at this point …

Now that we got that off our chests, we at Convergence would like to express our sincere gratitude to our clients and friends who helped make lemonade out of lemons this year.    You know it’s a strange political year when one of the most important actions in the history of our democracy since 1776 — defeating Donald Trump — seemed like a “meh” moment for some. And yes, there is much to “unpack” (another 2020-ism) about why there weren’t more victories this time. I tend to look for silver linings in political clouds, because if you don’t, then what the hell are you doing in this business? So here are a few I found, both personally and professionally, in the mire of this mostly-awful year:  

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Happy 5th Birthday to Convergence!

Today, we’re five! That means we can tie our shoes unassisted, stand on one foot for more than nine seconds, and flip seats from coast to coast. It’s been a fun five years of learning, growing, and helping some truly stellar candidates make this country a better place.

The next five years for Convergence will be even more exciting than the first. As the political communications landscape continues to evolve, we’re ready to make the changes necessary to keep the progressive victories rolling in. Our talented team is using the off-season to learn some new skills that will make us even more of an asset to our clients.

Thank you to everyone whose stood with us these past five years—we couldn’t have done this without you.

Chris

PS: For those of you who we’ll see in Austin next week at the Reed Awards, we prefer tacos to cupcakes 😉

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The Conversation You Need To Have With Your Campaign Manager

This post by Nick Mildebrath originally ran as a column at Campaigns & Elections.

As a candidate, hiring a campaign manager will be one of the most important decisions you make. It can make the difference between a successful campaign and one that languishes, and, ultimately, loses. When considering a prospective manager, many candidates focus on technical qualifications or professional reputation, but by doing this, they’re missing a key element of a successful candidate/manager relationship.

Again and again, we’ve worked with candidates who are frustrated that their managers are “too demanding” or “not proactive enough,” when in fact, their managers don’t clearly understand their candidate’s expectations. This disconnect doesn’t just lead to personal frustration — it leads to budgeting and scheduling mistakes, embarrassing messaging missteps, and bogged-down processes that will affect your campaign’s smooth operation and eat up your valuable time.

The most frustrating aspect of this phenomenon is that it’s completely avoidable. There are many different models for a successful relationship between a candidate, a manager, and a consulting team, but the common ingredient in all of them is a clearly defined, mutually agreed-upon definition of the manager’s role, and the right time to clarify the role of the campaign manager is before you hire them. Continue reading “The Conversation You Need To Have With Your Campaign Manager”