At the 2025 AAPC Southern Regional Conference, political consultants with boots on the ground in major southern cities gathered to talk shop—and drove home one key point: local races, especially mayoral ones, are the ultimate test of candidate quality, community connection, and campaign skill. Fred Hicks (HEG LLC), Michael Mulé (Surge Public Affairs), Mary-Patricia Wray (Top-Drawer Strategies), Maria O. Bánjọ, Esq. (Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory), and Scott Stone (Strategic Impact) shared hard-earned insights:

1. Authenticity Wins – “Voters smell BS from a mile away,” said Mulé . Candidates who lean into who they truly are—and why they’re running—gain traction.
2. Local Issues Outweigh National Drama – From infrastructure woes to crime spikes, local government failures can unite disparate voters across party lines.
3. Field & Fundraising Require Focused Strategy – “In local races, the big fight is between whoever wants the TV commission and the rest of us,” said Wray. Efficient fundraising and layered media plans—including OTT and AI-driven donor targeting—are the new normal.
4. Data Is Your Secret Weapon – Every speaker hammered home the need for microtargeting. As Mulé put it, “It’s not about reaching everyone. It’s about reaching the right ones.”
5. Turnout is Tiny—Make Every Voter Count – In top-50 media markets with under 100,000 voters, smart allocation of dollars toward the most impactful tactics is critical.