Justin Amash Takes Michigan Contest to the Airwaves
By Lucas Eaves | 10/31/2012 | Congressional, Elections 2012, Headline | 9 Comments
Credit: Gage Skidmore
Republican Justin Amash has taken the Michigan contest for the newly redrawn 3rd Congressional District to the airwaves, as his opponent, Democrat Steve Pestka, gained ground.
Justin Amash was elected in 2010 as one of the youngest members of Congress, at age 30. His libertarian leanings also made him one of the rare Republicans to endorse Ron Paul in his 2012 bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Amash won his district with 59.7% of the votes in the last election, but the district was redrawn in 2010 and is now less favorable to Republican candidates, making this election a very tight race.
Justin Amash has a major advantage on the social media front. The 32 year old made himself known for his transparency on Facebook, reporting each vote he made in Congress. He amassed a solid following of 35,000 on Facebook and 11,000 on Twitter. Opponent Steve Pestka, on the other hand, has waged a more classic political campaign. The 62 year old has been less savvy on social media outlets, with only 7,000 Facebook fans and 259 Twitter followers.
Recent polls show that TV remains an absolutely essential media outlet for candidates, even in the internet golden age. The latest polls show the two candidates in a dead heat, with Steve Pestka barely leading at 34.9 percent, compared to Amash’s 33.8 percent and, 28.5 percent of voters undecided. This poll has been contested by Amash, who claims to have a 14 point lead according to a poll commended by his campaign.
Steve Petska has recently injected $1 million into his campaign, allowing him to flood West Michigan air waves with campaign ads. This has led to a surge in support for Petska. His campaign spent $410,860 giving him 977 spots on local stations.
In comparison Justin Amash only began advertising on TV last week and spent $58,250 for 93 spots.
Justin Amash is currently concentrating his energy on getting an advantage on the air. His campaign website is asking for his supporters to buy him TV ads, with the objective of raising $100,000 before election day. He also has more cash on hand than his opponent, which could give him an edge in the last days of campaigning.
This race is an example of how politicians are having to adapt to an eligible voter base that now spans millennials and retirees; one must be strong on social media, yet remain deeply rooted in television and traditional forms of media.
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9 Comments
Jane Susskind
10.31.2012
@jsusskind
28.5% of voters are undecided? That’s a lot, and means the race could still go either way depending what happens in the next few days. I think it will be interesting to see how Amash uses social media to actually get people to the polls on Election Day. I also disagree with the argument that TV is still a huge factor. With the advancement of technology and internet, people now stream their news, tv shows etc. and can skip ads. I think by next election, politicians will have to seriously rethink their strategies and move to a digital one.
Chad Peace
10.31.2012
@Chad_Peace
Amash, like him or not, is awesome on social media. He explains every vote on his Facebook page and will answer tweets from his constituents directly.
Matt Metzner
10.31.2012
@mmetzner
I have a lot of respect for Mr. Amash. He’s the type of leader young people are looking for in the future. One’s who are willing to take a position, defend it, and do so openly.
Terri Harel
10.31.2012
@tlharel
It’s awesome that he publishes his Congressional votes on Facebook. That’s the kind of transparency all politicians should be required to exhibit.
Jane Susskind
10.31.2012
@jsusskind
I agree! This is a prime example of how social media is transforming politics.
Michael Higham
10.31.2012
@michaelhigham
That’s what I’m talking about, transparency! I really like that about Justin Amash. His race really seems like a battle between old and new politics, not only in age, but in campaign methods. The problem with social media though is that there’s a reliance with on-demand information whereas tv ads would probably be viewed regardless of wanting to see it.
Ian Dawes
10.31.2012
@iandawes
The redrawn districts are really shaking things up for candidates, which is why reaching out to young voters and social media users is so important.
Emma Goda
10.31.2012
@emmagoda
Good for Amash utilizing social media!
Alex Gauthier
10.31.2012
@alexg
“made himself known for his transparency on Facebook, reporting each vote he made in Congress” this is exactly they manner in which elected officials should utilize social media.