John, we don’t do
this often, but I’m really excited to share our 2022 Strategy Memo with
you
This memo is long, but really important. I hope you take the time to read
it.
The stakes for this election — not just for PA, but for our democracy —
are just too high not to keep yinz looped into our strategy. If you’re the
least bit nebby about our campaign plans for the months ahead, you’ll want
to read this.
[ [link removed] ]Will you please read our campaign memo, then consider making a
contribution of any amount to help ensure we win our primary in just three
months?
Every County, Every Vote. There’s just no other way to win PA.
— Bobby Maggio
Campaign Manager
John Fetterman for U.S. Senate
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Bobby Maggio, Campaign Manager
MEMO: Strategy for 2022
In Pennsylvania, Democrats cannot afford to run the same old playbook. We have
learned from watching the 2021 election in Virginia, as well as what we’ve
heard on the ground, that Democrats cannot rely on just Philadelphia and
Pittsburgh to win this race.
Fortunately, in what will be the most important Senate race in the country
this year, we have the ideal candidate for a year when traditional Democrats
are likely to struggle. Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman appeals across the
political spectrum, inspires genuine grassroots enthusiasm, connects with
working class voters, and has proven that he can win votes in the reddest
counties in Pennsylvania.
To have our best chance at flipping this crucial open seat, Democrats need to
nominate John Fetterman, the only candidate in the race who has already proven
he can run and win statewide in PA.
Please see below for updates on polling, our 67-County plan, and fundraising.
Polling
You all know how John and I feel about polling. But if you're counting, we've
been ahead — far ahead — in every primary poll.
The results of our most recent poll from Data for Progress came in on Feb 1,
2022, and it showed John at least 30 points ahead of his opponents. This is
great to hear, but it doesn’t mean we can slow down.
We're polling ahead of our Republican opponents, but it’s a much closer race.
The latest polling shows John ahead of our GOP opponents, but only two points
ahead of frontrunner Dr. Oz.
Here’s what that poll means: Among likely Pennsylvania voters, John Fetterman
is ahead of Dr. Oz, meaning we’re leading this race to replace Pat Toomey and
flip this ultra-competitive Senate seat blue in 2022. But with only a
two-point difference, we’ll need serious grassroots resources to compete with
Dr. Oz’s self-funded campaign.
Our 67-County Plan
John has said this again and again, but it’s worth repeating: No town is too
small, rural, or “red” for us to count out. We’re running a 67-County campaign
because every Pennsylvanian deserves someone to fight for them.
Last weekend, John and Gisele went to some of the reddest counties in PA.
Turnout was amazing. In Smethport, a town of 1,600 people in a county Trump
won 72%-26% in 2020, over 100 people showed up. In Clarion, a town of 5,500
people in a county that Trump won 75%-24% in 2020, 60 people showed up. In
Harmony, a town of 1,100 in a county Trump won 65%-33% in 2020, 80 people
showed up. And the other two stops in Warren and Venango, counties where Trump
won 68%-29% and 70%-28%, respectively, also brought out dozens of folks.
Support for John from red areas isn’t new, though. Last August, for example,
our campaign hosted a meet and greet in Mercer County, which Trump won by over
25% in 2020, a county that some Democrats wouldn’t even bother going to. We
held an event at a wing joint and had roughly 100 people come out to meet John
and see him speak — in Sharon, PA, a town with a population of just 13,000
people.
This proves that John doesn’t have to convince people he’s not like other
politicians – they can see it for themselves. With his straight-talking, no-BS
style, John defies conventional labels and appeals across party lines. He is
the rare candidate with a bold populist record and the proven ability to
appeal to independents and voters in Pennsylvania’s reddest and most rural
counties.
If we learned anything over the past few years, it’s that Democrats can’t
continue to completely cede rural counties to Republicans. For years, in
Pennsylvania, it has been said that winning a general election as a Democrat
is all about winning Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. If we just run up the
margins in urban areas, the thinking goes, then Democrats don’t have to worry
about the largely red, rural counties that make up the rest of the state.
Last November showed that margins matter everywhere, even in counties that
Democrats are never going to win. Ceding county after county to Republicans is
a losing strategy. John has always believed in every county, every vote. And
he is not willing to write off any region, any community, any part of
Pennsylvania.
In 2018, when John ran on the ticket with Governor Tom Wolf, he traveled the
state and talked to voters in every corner— regardless of how red or blue. And
with John as his running mate, Governor Wolf won by more than almost a million
more votes than he did in 2014. They did it by chipping away at Republican
margins in rural counties.
John and Gov. Wolf won Berks County, Beaver County, Cumberland County, Erie
County, and Luzerne County, all counties where Democrats have struggled at
times in recent years. This notion that rural voters are immovable proved
flat-out false.
Most importantly, John doesn’t just wait until election season to show up in
rural Pennsylvania. In his first few months as Lieutenant Governor, John
traveled to all 67 counties to conduct a listening tour around legalizing
marijuana. Whether it’s supporting down ballot local candidates or meeting
constituents in every county, Fetterman has consistently shown up to rural
counties and built strong relationships with communities on the ground.
Fundraising
Our grassroots campaign has received small-dollar donations from all 50 states
+ all 67 PA Counties. We’ve had more than 180,000 donors make over 475,000
donations since launching our campaign one year + ten days ago. And our
average donation has consistently been under $30 (actually, closer to $20), a
number that demonstrates just how much our campaign relies on everyday people
like YOU.
But we can’t ignore the millions of dollars being poured into this race every
single day.
The GOP and their super PACs have poured over $32.5 million into TV and radio
ads. This is shaping up to be the most expensive election in Pennsylvania
history.
And just last week, a super PAC supporting one of our Democratic primary
opponents, Conor Lamb, announced they are going to raise $8 million to try and
help Lamb win the primary election.
As intimidating as it is to look at the amount of money super PACs are
funneling into this race, we cannot forget the power of the people. We know
that as long as the everyday folks John represents pitch in a few bucks
whenever they can, we can be more powerful than self-funded GOP millionaires
and the billionaires writing their super PACs six-figure checks.
Conclusion
Democrats cannot afford to lose in Pennsylvania. We have to nominate a
candidate who can excite the base and appeal to the unique independent voters
of Pennsylvania.
In order to win, Democrats must compete everywhere and meet voters where they
are at. In John Fetterman, Democrats have a once-in-a-generation opportunity
to turn this Senate seat blue and to have an unabashed champion of the working
class represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate.
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