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Modern Political Campaigns: How Professionalism, Technology, and Speed Have Revolutionized Elections
Modern Political Campaigns brings together academic, practical, and interviews to help understand how professionalism, technology, and speed have revolutionized elections, creating more voter-centric races for public office. Dr. Michael D. Cohen, a 20+ year veteran of working on, teaching, and writing about political campaigns take readers through how campaigns are organized, state-of-the-art tools of the trade, and how some of the most interesting people in politics got their big breaks.
The book takes readers through clear-eyed chapters on parties and elections, campaign planning and management, fundraising, independent groups, vulnerability and opposition research, data and analytics, focus groups and polling, earned, paid and social media, and field operations. Finally, the book revisits the Permanent Campaign in terms of modern approaches to winning elections raising questions about today's uniform preference for turnout over persuasion and what that means for our American democracy.
Modern Political Campaigns will appeal to students and political activists interested in working in political campaigns. It is also a great read for anyone who wants to better understand the nuts and bolts of campaigns in practical terms from professionals, and the opportunities they provide all of us to be more engaged citizens and hold our leaders more accountable each Election Day.
The book takes readers through clear-eyed chapters on parties and elections, campaign planning and management, fundraising, independent groups, vulnerability and opposition research, data and analytics, focus groups and polling, earned, paid and social media, and field operations. Finally, the book revisits the Permanent Campaign in terms of modern approaches to winning elections raising questions about today's uniform preference for turnout over persuasion and what that means for our American democracy.
Modern Political Campaigns will appeal to students and political activists interested in working in political campaigns. It is also a great read for anyone who wants to better understand the nuts and bolts of campaigns in practical terms from professionals, and the opportunities they provide all of us to be more engaged citizens and hold our leaders more accountable each Election Day.
- GenresPolitics
204 pages, ebook
Published June 15, 2021
6 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Michael D. Cohen
1 book8 followersMichael 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 23, 2025
I read the second edition of this book. It is accessible, practical, and chocked full of good stories!
October 3, 2025
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.
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.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews