Q: Can you tell us more about Elevate and what you do?‍

GABI: Thanks for having us. We are a general consulting firm based in Salt Lake City, Utah. We primarily help Democrats and progressive candidates, offering an all-hands-on-deck approach from top to bottom. We started just over two years ago and have been thrilled to help over 50 candidates and train dozens of folks. Our goal is to ensure that Utah is the next state to flip blue.

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Q: We want to get into the secret sauce of Elevate on taking on some uphill campaigns. Let's talk about Dr. Rosemary Lesser of Utah House District 10. What were the challenges in this race?

JACKIE: Rosemary is one of our favorite candidates. She’s a retired Air Force veteran and an OB/GYN who has delivered over 6,000 babies. She was appointed to her seat and didn’t initially run for it. After redistricting, her district became much harder for a Democrat to win. It was an R+12 district in 2022, and everyone told her she wouldn’t win. But Rosemary worked incredibly hard, knocking almost 10,000 doors. We had a robust campaign plan, including mail pieces, digital ads, text messages, and a strong op-ed strategy in the local newspaper.

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Q: Can you talk about the advanced tactics you used, like targeting and layering?

JACKIE: Sure. The district has an Air Force base, so we targeted veterans and their families. We used a likely veteran model score, Trump defector score indicators, and the January 6th model score to create a unique universe. We sent special mailers about service, layered with texts and digital ads, all focused on Rosemary’s service background. This approach was part of our success.

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Q: Now, let’s discuss the Ogden Utah mayoral campaign. You had historic voter turnout. What was the uphill battle going into this?

GABI: This race was in 2023, a municipal year with typically low turnout. Taylor Knuth, our candidate, was 30, gay, a person of color, and came from a working-class family. He was running against a well-known city councilman. Despite these challenges, Taylor’s authenticity and unique story resonated with voters. We used creative tactics, like a robust social media presence and community engagement. [...]It was bittersweet because Taylor didn’t win. However, seeing our tactics make a real impact was incredible.

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Q: How do you come up with your strategies for GOTV (Get Out The Vote)?

JACKIE: Collaboration is key. We have a lot of brainstorms and involve our young, creative staff. We also ensure we stay connected with real people, not just those in the political bubble. Talking to voters and our team helps us come up with relevant and effective strategies.

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Q: If you have limited resources and funds for campaigns, what do you prioritize?

GABI: High-impact, low-cost tactics like canvassing, phone banking, and relational organizing are our top priorities. We also use smaller mail programs layered with texting and digital ads. Messaging discipline is crucial, ensuring our messages are consistent across all platforms.

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Q: What are your top tools for uphill battles?

JACKIE: Texting is incredibly effective and affordable. We layer it with other tactics to reinforce messages. Personalized touches, like handwritten postcards and targeted social media interactions, also make a big difference. Audio ads have been great for reaching younger voters.

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Q: What’s next for Elevate?

JACKIE: We’re running several exciting races in Utah, including a US Senate race with Caroline Gleich, a professional ski mountaineer. She’s an incredible candidate. We’re also working on state house and senate races. We’re excited about the creative tactics we’re implementing and the impact they’ll have.

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