I just got canvassed by a couple of Rick Dollinger volunteers
Phew. I was beginning to think this campaign wasn’t doing much of anything for their candidate rather than just against their opponent, Joe Robach.
I asked them about lawn signs, or the lack of them, around the 56th Senate District. They had some crappy excuses about why they weren’t up yet: the lawn sign doesn’t make the candidate, they’re expensive, not everyone who wants one can get one, etc. I wasn’t in the mood and I didn’t have the time to get into a debate over how to run a successful campaign, so I just nodded and said, “uh-huh.”
When I asked them about the electoral dynamics of the district, they gave me a very optimistic view of the current landscape and told me that Brighton is the Dollinger stronghold in the district. Again, I didn’t have the will to argue, so I just basically told them that if Brighton is the Dollinger stronghold, then the city of Rochester is the Dollinger fortress. They also said that Greece is the swing area and Parma is fertile territory.
As I say, it was a very optimistic assessment. I spelled it all out quite clearly earlier this week: Greece and Parma will in all likelihood vote for Robach, while the city will go with Dollinger, and it is Brighton that is the critical area of the district.
But overall, they were nice guys and they knew much more about what they were talking about than I did two years ago when I canvassed my neighborhood for the Eric Massa campaign. I plan to join them soon and go door-to-door, I just wish that the paid campaign staff that they are working for had a better game plan about how to win this thing.
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BREAKING!!
Rickie D. sign spotted @ Penfield Rd. and 490.
Lawn signs are expensive? Are you kidding me? He’s got Golisano’s $$$ backing him up and he still can’t afford lawn signs, the staple of even cash-strapped campaigns?
Something weird is going on here. I wish it wasn’t, because I think he’ll be much better for Rochester and NY.
The something weird is that you’re relying on volunteers of unknown seniority or experience on the campaign for information on campaign strategy. “too expensive” from this source is hardly an authoritative or strategy-based explanation for what you see at a snapshot moment in a long campaign. And don’t expect to see any Golisano PAC money going for lawn signs. It doesn’t work that way. Also: lawn signs, I believe, serve the primary purpose of raising name recognition, and arguably, Dollinger’s is pretty high already.
Be honest. When was the last time you voted for someone because you saw their lawn sign????? Don’t you think it’s better to spend money on mailers and ads that say something ABOUT the candidate and campaign rather than JUST putting the candidates name in lights? How many Alice Kryzan signs did you see before the primary?
I admit lawn signs are part of a campaign, but does it matter if they go out 6 weeks before election day or 6 days before? I like what you say usually Airbare, but since when does lawn sign placement indicate a “…successful campaign” (As you suggested when you said “and I didn’t have the time to get into a debate over how to run a successful campaign”)
Does his district even GO out there????
Nice try GB but John Falk who is running unopposed (he was appointed to fill the vacancy left by Dollinger) for Brighton Town Judge has more lawns in Brighton than Rick Dollinger. Well, I’ve seen more Falk signs than Dollinger signs.
Signs are part of a campaign. They give credibility to those who are not plugged in. They give hope to those who are plugged in.
Do they win campaigns - they are certainly part of as are lit drops like the one that happened for the Dollinger Campaign today. .
Re Alice Kryzan and supposed lack of her signs. Different case. Davis and Powers beat each other up. Kryzan picked up the pieces. Oh, Kryzan was running a primary where plugged in Dems voted. Dollinger is running a general where everyone can vote.
I don’t agree, but if “they give credibility”, does it matter if they go out 6 weeks before or 6 days before? An unopposed candidate doesn’t need to spend their money the same way as an poopsed candidate does. They can afford to put their time into lawn signs.
By your admission, the fact that Kryzan won without many lawn signs shows that there are other things that win a campaign. Whether that is Davis and Powers beating each other up or not doesn’t matter, it was something other than lawn signs. The lawn signs won’t win the campaign for Dollinger, so I think beating his campaign up about it is pointless. We haven’t seen their campaign plan (correct me if you have) but the fact that they aren’t out yet doesn’t mean anything. I don’t even think it’s TIME to put signs out in some places.
This frees up money for other uses.
Re name Recognition. yeah Robach has tremendous Name recongintion and he has signs.
This isn’t about signs - it is about showing non-plugged in people that there is a viable alternative. That there actually is a race.
GB - I hear you but to me lawn signs are an indicator. In Brighton it is time to put out sign. Robach has lots of signs. Signs along don’t win an election but IMHO they are an indicator.
The bigger question is what else is going on with the campaign?
NOW you’re speaking my language. I think you finally get what I am saying .. what is wrong with the campaign??? Here is the BIGGEST issue: Rick Dollinger is an eloquent and inspiring speaker. he has an impressive resume and has the progressive values that match the 56th senate district, but all I hear about is how wrong Robach is for the job. When am I going to hear about how great Dollinger is????? When are we going to hear HIS words?
Yes. It’s in the north end of Brighton.
Not the glorious Twelve Corners Brighton that most identify with but where the faux Brightonians live and pay taxes.
[...] was just canvassed for the second time in two weeks by the hard-working volunteers of the Rick Dollinger campaign. The guy who was canvassing my [...]