Modern Political Campaigns: How Professionalism, Technology, and Speed Have Revolutionized Elections

by Michael D. Cohen

Dr. Michael D. Cohen, a 30+ year veteran of working on, teaching, and writing about political campaigns shows readers how campaigns are organized, explains state-of-the-art tools of the trade, and reveals how some of the most interesting people in politics got their big breaks. He combines academic insights and practical advice that will be of interest to practitioners and students considering careers in politics, and people interested in how elections are won. The second edition, updated to include a new chapter on how campaigns are using artificial intelligence and what that means for democracy, has been completely revised throughout to provide readers with an up-to-date understanding of how candidates succeed.

Genres: Politics

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2025

About the author

Michael D. Cohen, Ph.D. is CEO of Cohen Research Group, a political, public affairs, and corporate research firm. He publishes the award-winning Congress in Your Pocket suite of mobile apps and teaches college courses on political campaigns, digital strategy, and public policy in Washington, DC. His first book, Modern Political Campaigns, is now available.

He began his career leading political campaigns in Florida and then joined The Gallup Organization, where he served as Senior Research Director. Other career highlights include serving as Vice President of Public Affairs for Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates, Polling Team Lead for Microsoft, and Chief Strategy Officer for WPA Intelligence.

Dr. Cohen has served as assistant professor and the interim director of the political management program at The George Washington University, as well as an adjunct professor for the Johns Hopkins University graduate communications program, the University of Southern California's Price School of Public Policy, and the University of California's DC program.

He has been interviewed on campaigns, elections, and political research by the New York Times, Washington Post, CBS News, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, NPR, Newsy, VICE News, U.S. News & World Report, and featured on the cover of Campaigns & Elections magazine.

He is a three-time graduate of the University of Florida, where he earned degrees in political science and mass communication, and was inducted into its leadership Hall of Fame. A native of Long Island, New York, he has lived in the DC metropolitan area for the past 25 years with his wife and two children.

Learn more about Dr. Cohen at http://michaelcohen.us.

Reviews

[Travis Taylor, PhD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the second edition of this book. It is accessible, practical, and chocked full of good stories!

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic look behind the curtain of how campaigns are run in today's world, from Michael D. Cohen, who has been on the front lines. He brings numerous real-life examples to the story, along with practical insights into how technology, data, and media have permanently altered the political landscape. What makes the book especially valuable is the way it blends theory with practice—Cohen doesn’t just talk about trends, he explains how they play out in the day-to-day operations of a campaign.

The discussion of speed is particularly eye-opening; the book makes clear how quickly narratives can form and shift, and how professionals must be ready to respond in real time. It also sheds light on the rise of digital strategies, social media targeting, and the role of analytics, while still grounding the reader in the traditional fundamentals of voter contact and message discipline.

Overall, the narrator does a great job of bringing this book to life as an informative guide for anyone interested in politics—whether you’re a student, a campaign volunteer, or just someone who wants to understand how modern elections are really won and lost.

Nice job, Mr. Cohen and kudos to your choice of narrators.