Every candidate needs to ask the question “what do voters really care about?” If you talk to a voter on the Michigan-Ohio border, you are likely to hear about gas prices or insurance rates. Likewise, if you are in northern Michigan, a voter is more likely to talk about natural resources or the importance of tourism in Michigan. While there are regional issues like these, candidates need to understand what voters really care about and build a message that speaks to a wide-range of voters, not just a niche few.

Find the Issue

Every voter cares about their job, the jobs of their family members, and the jobs of their friends. Before the 2016 presidential election, Pew Research did a study that found 84% of voters said the economy is very important to their vote. Let that sink in. No matter if you are a Republican or Democrat, a male or female. An astounding 84% of Americans ranked the economy as the most important issue to them.

For a candidate developing a message for voters, take the advice of the long-time Democrat strategist James Carville: “It’s the economy, stupid”. Don’t overthink it. People care deeply about the economy and crafting a message talking about jobs and a strong economy is a winning formula for candidates.

Personalize it

Effective candidates can take a big issue like the economy and personalize it to their local community. For a state house candidate that has 90,000 residents in their district, they need to say more than “I’m for a strong economy”. A candidate needs to personalize and localize the message. Use specific examples where local businesses have been helped or hurt by policies. This demonstrates that you have a good pulse on the local community and are a strong representative of your community.

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