[Lnc-business] Request for assistance from Mark Wicks

Tue May 9 18:32:44 EDT 2017

I will get the appropriate links and commentary about the debate from Mr.
Wicks.

-Caryn Ann

So we have myself and Joshua willing to co-sponsor a motion for $5,000.  We
would need two more.

On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 4:27 PM, Joshua Katz <planning4liberty at gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> *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
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Lnc-business mailing list
> Lnc-business at hq.lp.org
> http://hq.lp.org/mailman/listinfo/lnc-business_hq.lp.org
>
>

-- 
*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*
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