[Lnc-business] Request for assistance from Mark Wicks

Alicia Mattson agmattson at gmail.com
Wed May 10 01:56:47 EDT 2017


With the other co-sponsors, there was talk of still needing to craft
specific language.

Since the Chair can sponsor by himself, and since he indicated specific
language, I'll put this out as a motion just from the chair.

-Alicia



On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 7:18 PM, Nicholas Sarwark <chair at lp.org> wrote:

> I will sponsor a motion for the LNC to contribute $5,000 to the Mark
> Wicks for Congress campaign.
>
> Our counsel and many others worked very hard to make sure Mr. Wicks
> could be in the televised debate (that he did very well in), I think
> it would be good to follow through and this is a very reasonable
> request after the candidate (a) raised a similar amount of money and
> (b) put in a similar amount of money on his own.
>
> -Nick
>
> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 3:32 PM, Caryn Ann Harlos
> <carynannharlos at gmail.com> wrote:
> > 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 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. 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 would make a good impact. We have received
> $3600,
> >>>>>> plus I have put in about $3000 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
> >>>>>> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> >>>>>> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
> >>>>>> 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
> >>>> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> >>>> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
> >>>> 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
> >>> Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> >>> Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
> >>> 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
> > Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
> > Colorado State Coordinator, Libertarian Party Radical Caucus
> > 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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