[Lnc-business] Request for assistance from Mark Wicks

Joshua Katz planning4liberty at gmail.com
Tue May 9 18:27:30 EDT 2017


I take that to mean that there is no ballot access retention based on this
race.  It might be true that better voter numbers than we have ever seen
before makes a difference for us, perhaps even a national-scale difference
(which is what it takes, short of ballot access, in my eyes, to invest
national money).  What I'm less sure of, though, is that investing money
into this campaign will achieve that.  Is the debate video available
somewhere, or commentary saying he won the debate?  That makes a
difference, and I can certainly see the value of $5,000 to amplify that if
it is credible and exists.

I also note that, while it's a 3-way race, the Democrat doesn't strike me
as particularly serious, which could be an opportunity.  I don't think
either of those candidates has been able to demonstrate that they care, and
if Wicks can do that, if he had debate moments like Bill Clinton's answer
on the national debt in that town hall debate, and we can make an ad with a
5 second clip like that, I'm sold.

I'm less excited about the fact that this is an at-large Congressional
seat.  Yes, online ads have the greatest reach, but don't across to most as
being as credible, and there's no other real way for him, with his budget,
to reach across the state.

He is right that $5,000 is a small amount to invest.  I don't like
investing small amounts.  As I argued at the last meeting about the
consultants, people tell you what they are worth.  Someone pricing
themselves well below market is telling you something.  Wicks is not
pricing himself low, but I'm not convinced that $5,000 can do anything for
him.  It can get him an online ad, but I'm not sure it can get enough
impressions to get people talking.  So let me ask against - what is the
maximum we can give?  Also, if we gave more than $5,000, does he have the
campaign infrastructure to use it effectively?  I'm more interested in
spending money where it can do good than in minimizing the money spent in a
given place.

I like that the ask is for less than he's raised.  I'm less thrilled that,
with the full ask, he'd have $11,600 for a statewide Congressional race.
I'm not concerned about that because it's not enough to win - I'm concerned
about that because I don't know that it's enough to be heard outside of a
small echo chamber.

He has a very nice website.  It looks good, it draws you in, it's fairly
interactive, and it focuses on applying our ideas in ways that matter to
Montanans.  On the other hand, with $6k raised, he didn't use a
professional photographer, I think, for his photos.  He looks much better
in his tv shots than in his own pictures.

Bernie Sanders is campaigning for the Democrat (like I said, not serious)
while Trump and Pence are both campaigning for the Republican.  The
Republicans, between party and PACs, are spending $1,600,000.  Democrats
are spending somewhere in the 6 digits.  I don't think $11,600 is enough to
have a voice, but $20,000 might be, if used correctly.  This is a unique
opportunity and a strong race.  We've already put national firepower into
getting him into the debate.  I would like to see us give more, and
accompany it with a national staffer acting as campaign adviser to improve
a few of the nuts and bolts and making sure the amplification works out
well.  In the meantime, I will cosponsor a motion to give $5,000.  I will
not cosponsor a motion to give $2,500.

On the bigger picture: I agree that we need a better structure than having
this board make such decisions on the basis of limited information, without
much time to research.  I had wanted to come up with such a structure, but
life has gotten in the way, both for me and for the LNC.  I also
acknowledge that our budget is in a deficit - but our budget does include a
line for candidates and campaigns, and only half of that line has been
allocated, so we've already put aside money for this (in a sense).
Furthermore, our cash position is entirely the result of our own
decisions.  I don't think we can make ourselves cash-poor, write a budget
that shows a deficit (which I didn't vote for, for that reason among
others), and then use that as a reason that we cannot help our candidates
who can, in fact, make a difference and help grow this party - growth that
will, hopefully, close that gap next year.  Last year, we took in quite a
bit more than we budgeted for - in large part based on the attention our
national ticket was getting, and in large part because, I think, people
wanted us to support key races.  Is this a key race?  I think it is, given
the timing, the lack of a serious Democrat, the spending imbalance between
the Rs and Ds, and so on, but that's for each of us to decide.  Our
candidate has also not just gotten into a debate, but shown that he knows
what he's doing once there, and in the process gotten himself useful
soundbites for an ad campaign (I'm assuming affirmative answers to my
questions above).

Joshua A. Katz


On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 4:13 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Mark Wicks provided these responses and apologized that he is not as
> eloquent as possible as he was calling from the campaign trail:
>
> "I think this is being looked at the wrong way. Both parties are looking
> for a win to prove their agenda is supported by the American people. We
> need to show that both parties are being rejected. A win cements that but
> we also win with better voter numbers than we have ever seen before. It
> gives legitimacy, and that helps all of us. It sets me up for 2018 and
> other candidates as well. We can't raise money without some measure of
> success. $5000
> <https://www.facebook.com/groups/1705462263069738/?multi_permalinks=1898512803764682%2C1898487450433884%2C1898483643767598&notif_t=group_activity&notif_id=1494240976827562#>
> is a small investment into a campaign that will pay dividends for all
> candidates. We won a battle getting into the debate, I won the debate, now
> we are positioning pieces for the next war and trying to inflict as much
> damage as possible in this one."
>
> -Caryn Ann
>
> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 6:08 AM, Caryn Ann Harlos <carynannharlos at gmail.com
> > wrote:
>
>> Alicia, yes, and running strong campaigns.
>>
>> -Caryn Ann
>>
>> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 1:36 AM, Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Also, is this looking to be a 3-way race with both the Democrats and
>>> Republicans running candidates?
>>>
>>> -Alicia
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 4:19 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos <
>>> carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On behalf of Montana candidate Mark Wicks running for the vacated seat
>>>> by the appointment of Zinke, he is requesting the LNC assist his campaign
>>>> financially.
>>>>
>>>> I had let him know specific information we would need, and would like
>>>> to share that information:
>>>>
>>>> I know you asked for a budget for how I will spend the money and with
>>>> time constraints and getting the word out online media seems to be the way
>>>> to go. We have ads that are being readied and ready to go anytime. Flathead
>>>> county is having a Liberty Bash combined with a send the work truck event.
>>>> We can get a live remote and good online adds for $2500
>>>> <https://www.facebook.com/pinkflameofliberty/messages/?threadid=1068158245&timestamp=1494282486430#>.
>>>> That will cover the valley really well. The east side of the state is taken
>>>> care of and all the big towns are covered except Great Falls. I can use as
>>>> much as the LP can send, but I think $5000
>>>> <https://www.facebook.com/pinkflameofliberty/messages/?threadid=1068158245&timestamp=1494282486430#>
>>>> would make a good impact. We have received $3600
>>>> <https://www.facebook.com/pinkflameofliberty/messages/?threadid=1068158245&timestamp=1494282486430#>,
>>>> plus I have put in about $3000
>>>> <https://www.facebook.com/pinkflameofliberty/messages/?threadid=1068158245&timestamp=1494282486430#>
>>>> total. I can't give any measure of impact. People are really searching for
>>>> a third choice so even minimal presentation will go a long ways.
>>>>
>>>> If any LNC member is interested in co-sponsoring a motion to assist in
>>>> any amount please let me know so we can craft.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> *In Liberty,*
>>>> *Caryn Ann Harlos*
>>>> Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska,
>>>> Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
>>>> Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
>>>> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
>>>> <http://www.lpcolorado.org>
>>>> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
>>>> <http://www.lpradicalcaucus.org>
>>>> Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee
>>>>
>>>> A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
>>>> *We defend your rights*
>>>> *And oppose the use of force*
>>>> *Taxation is theft*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Lnc-business mailing list
>>>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Lnc-business mailing list
>>> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
>>> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
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>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> *In Liberty,*
>> *Caryn Ann Harlos*
>> Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska,
>> Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
>> Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
>> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
>> <http://www.lpcolorado.org>
>> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
>> <http://www.lpradicalcaucus.org>
>> Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee
>>
>> A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
>> *We defend your rights*
>> *And oppose the use of force*
>> *Taxation is theft*
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> *In Liberty,*
> *Caryn Ann Harlos*
> Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona,
> Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
> Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> <http://www.lpcolorado.org>
> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
> <http://www.lpradicalcaucus.org>
> Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee
>
> A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
> *We defend your rights*
> *And oppose the use of force*
> *Taxation is theft*
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
>
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