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Welcome to June, AAPC Insiders! The energy in Colorado Springs
last month was electric as over 1,000 political pros gathered for Pollies 25!
Catch the highlights, revisit the insights, and celebrate the innovators who are
shaping the future of political consulting below.
Plus! Get the full scoop on how
2024 voter behavior and AI adoption trends could reshape campaign strategy heading into 2026.
Anna Ross
Membership Marketing & Communications Manager
In this issue…
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Pollies 25 in Review
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AAPC Foundation Unveils Bipartisan Research
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First Time’s the Charm
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Interesting Reads
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Don’t Miss
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Pollies 25: Strategy, Celebration & the Future
of the Industry |
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For the third year in a row, over 1,000 political professionals
came together at AAPC’s Pollie Awards & Conference—solidifying it as the
largest and most influential gathering in the industry.
Attendees dove into insightful
sessions grounded in real data on AI, voter behavior and 2024 campaign lessons,
while tactical breakouts offered immediately usable takeaways on how to engage
influencers, storytelling, fundraising, compliance, and more. |
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"The Pollies continue to
set the bar—not just in recognizing excellence, but in bringing the industry
together to raise our collective game,” said AAPC President Larry Huynh.
“This year proved again why this is the can’t-miss event in politics.” | |
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The celebration continued with the prestigious Pollie Awards,
recognizing the most effective and creative work in campaigns nationwide. 📘
See the full list of winners. |
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“The
energy, the collaboration, the sheer talent in every room—we saw the future
of political consulting here,” added AAPC Vice President Kyle Roberts.
“And it’s more innovative and dynamic than ever.” | |
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You can also watch the Trailblazer and Hall of Fame
tributes and acceptance speeches—a powerful reminder of what impactful
leadership in this field looks like. 🎥 Watch now.
📸
View the photo
gallery | 🎤
Get speaker slides
Thanks for making 2025
unforgettable. We’ll see you next year in Amelia Island, March 24-26th. |
AI, Voter Trends & 2024 Surprises: AAPC Unveils
Bipartisan Research |
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At the 2025 Pollies, AAPC and the AAPC Foundation debuted
groundbreaking, practitioner-led research analyzing AI’s impact on campaigns
and dramatic voter registration shifts in four 2024 battleground states.
Representing a study featuring
a survey of over 200 political professionals, in combination with in-depth interviews,
the results uncover how consultants are integrating and evaluating AI technologies
on the campaign trail: -
⚙️ AI is helping,
not replacing. Consultants are leaning on AI to save time on internal
tasks like summarizing transcripts, organizing research, and building decks.
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😐
Mixed opinions remain. While many find AI useful, concerns about misinformation
and misuse persist.
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📚 Best use case? Synthesizing
research, transcripts, and news ranked highest. Fewer consultants see it as a
go-to for creating ads or social media content.
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Building on the Data: Voter Registration Trends
Signal GOP Momentum in Key States |
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New data from voter registration files in Arizona, North
Carolina, Nevada, and Pennsylvania (2020–2024) point to a shifting landscape: -
🟥
Republican and unaffiliated registrations increased in nearly all states studied.
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🟦
Democratic registration declined in most.
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📈 GOP gains were especially
strong among Black, Hispanic, and rural voters—particularly in Arizona and Pennsylvania.
These trends suggest campaigns
will need to revisit their turnout strategies and resource planning ahead of 2026. |
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“The data was pretty
clear: Democrats were caught off guard,” said Larry Huynh, Democratic consultant
and AAPC Board President. “We should all take a hard look at our registration
and turnout operations before it’s too late.” | |
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The Takeaway for Campaign Pros: Whether
it’s optimizing workflows with AI or adapting to changing voter rolls, staying
ahead of these trends will be key to winning the next cycle.
Listen to AAPC’s full press briefing on the research
here.
Learn more about AAPC's mission
here and the AAPC Foundation's mission
here. |
🎉 Congratulations to Madisyn Pettit – Pollie
Passport Raffle Winner! |
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When Madisyn Pettit (Patriot Grassroots)
arrived at her first-ever Pollies, she was one of 290+ first-timers diving into
the nation’s premier political consulting event. She didn’t just attend—she
engaged.
By completing the Pollie Passport
during the New Members & First-Time Attendees Luncheon—visiting booths,
meeting peers, and soaking up the experience—Madisyn scored a free registration
to Pollies 2026 in Amelia Island, FL!
Want to make the most of your
next Pollies experience? Take a page from Madisyn’s playbook:
👋 Don’t eat alone – Join
a new table and introduce yourself.
❓ Ask, don’t pitch. People love to talk about their
work. Lead with curiosity, not a résumé.
📨 Follow up fast – Send that LinkedIn
request while it’s fresh.
🎯 Play the game – You might just win big!
Thanks to everyone who helped
make Pollies 2025 so welcoming—our community is stronger because of you. |
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