Introducing: Octob-her

As a #girldad, I feel challenged with a special duty to show my daughter that she is capable of anything in this world. I hope that, someday, these posts will show her that my field is open wide for her to engage in and lead.

This year, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment. A century since women first exercised their right to vote in a presidential election, successive generations have taken on critical roles spanning the entire spectrum of political involvement. Some take on the immense burdens of elective office. Others operate as fundraisers, lobbyists and campaign strategists, guiding national agendas.

With less than a month remaining before the 2020 election, I thought we could spend time this month getting to know some of the women working so diligently to serve their communities and their causes.

Over the next few weeks, my regular Thursday posts will highlight women in advocacy. Some of the content will come directly from them, showcasing the expertise they’ve developed in their own careers. Other posts will be about those we can look toward for inspiration. Across the series, I hope you’ll learn some of the many lessons I’ve picked up from these leaders along the way.

Up first in this series is a post written by a colleague, Anne Thompson. Anne directs the activities of a national Political Action Committee (PAC), developing strategies to implement broad policy initiatives. I’ve had the pleasure of partnering with her over the past year and am thrilled she volunteered to be the first outside contributor to Part of the Possible. Check out what Anne has to teach us below!

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PAC Management, by Anne Thompson

Sometimes I joke that in my next life, I may consider becoming an accountant.  It’s not necessarily that I like accounting, but there’s something appealing about the constant objectivity of it.  Black and white answers have a real appeal to me.  The world of Political Action Committee (PAC) management is much greyer and must, therefore, be managed pensively.      

Politics is a subjective world and PACs are no exception.  Who to support; at what level; and when to make the disbursement – there are not necessarily right and wrong answers to these questions.  Do you support only incumbents, or is the PAC willing to consider challengers? 

The most successful PAC managers take these open-ended questions and put guardrails around the process for making such determinations.  Geography and committee assignments are clearly important factors in determining who a PAC should support.  Positions on key legislation, having signed onto letters highlighting policy priorities, and how accessible a Member’s office is are also valuable considerations. 

Whatever method of scoring a PAC chooses, it should remain consistent with a certain threshold for contribution eligibility.  Since we know we cannot please all of the people all of the time, it’s important to be able to credibly back up decisions by the PAC.   

Not only do PACs help promote industry or certain policy priorities, but they also help temper the political debate.  As we’ve witnessed over the last decade and a half, the extremes are moving further and further apart and the moderates in the middle seem to be waning.  Most business industry PACs are bipartisan and are weary of providing support to candidates for office who could become enfolded in political controversy.  PAC support goes a long way to bolster the middle fifty percent of Members of Congress who are willing to work with colleagues across the aisle to achieve tangible results.              

There are many misconceptions about PACs.  PAC money does not buy votes, it is completely transparent, and contribution checks are not cut in smoke-filled rooms.  (Some in Washington would tell you it would be a lot easier if they could!) 

At the end of the day, PACs are a vehicle through which like-minded individuals can pool their collective resources to support candidates for elected office who support ideals their organization seeks to promote.  PACs are a valuable tool to demonstrate true grassroots support.  And as one who is entrusted to manage those resources, I take great responsibility in maximizing each and every dollar to the fullest extent possible.

There are a variety of ways to approach leveraging all of your resources as a PAC.  Like in any other part of the economy, there are deals to be had.  It is, however, a very fine line to know when and where it is appropriate to request special treatment. 

At the end of the day, part of the goal of leveraging those dollars is an attempt to have an out-sized presence, not to come across as one who’s trying to nickel and dime the system.  Relationships and trust can make a big difference here.  If a fundraiser knows the PAC has a reputation for standing by commitments and doing so in a timely fashion, they’re more likely to show flexibility from time to time. 

When advocating for an organization’s policy priorities, it is advisable to use an “all of the above” approach to resources.  PAC’s are a useful tool in that equation.  Each professional is likely to offer their own unique approach when it comes to effectively managing a PAC.  And each PAC has its own individual needs in order to best represent its constituents.  If managed well, a PAC’s resources can help turn base hits into points on the board.