HARSTAD
RESEARCH Celebrates Wins by Client Barack Obama and Democrats
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December 17,
2008 - Paul Harstad and his colleagues at Harstad Strategic Research
join with scores of other Democrats in celebrating the stunning victory
of Barack Obama - our client since 2002 when he first began his Senate
primary race. And today we congratulate two more of our clients -
Ken Salazar and Tom Vilsack - upon their nomination to Obama's Cabinet.
Five years ago, Barack Obama was a completely unknown state
legislator. Today he is probably the best known and most admired
person in the world. On November 4, he won the biggest share of
the presidential vote in 20 years, carried 9 Red States, and compiled
better than a 2-to-1 edge in the Electoral College (365 to 173) - in
the process helping Democrats pick up congressional, gubernatorial, and
legislative seats.
For more than two years, Harstad Research has conducted
survey research for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. We
polled in the critical Iowa caucuses, and a dozen other primary
states. Our polling in Iowa showed Obama more than doubling his
share of the caucus vote from early 2007, moving from a distant third
place to the decisive Iowa win that launched his history-making victory
in November.
Harstad and
clients: Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado, President-elect Barack Obama.
In the general election, we provided polling
and analysis in nearly a dozen Battleground states in the Industrial
Belt and Midwestern regions - including victories in 7 of 8 core
Battleground states. In all, we conducted polls for him in about
half of the 50 states, plus broader issue and messaging surveys.
We are proud to have been part of the Obama campaign's broader media
team and polling consortium, and to have worked along side an amazing
team of political strategists, operatives, field organizers and
volunteers. The campaign's remarkable cohesion, commitment,
and discipline are testaments to the character of Barack Obama and the
campaign leadership.
Our VP Mike Kulisheck, PhD, has worked with Paul Harstad on behalf of
Barack Obama since May 2002 when we began polling and offering
strategic advice for his 2004 upset Democratic primary victory in
Illinois for U.S. Senator. Mike oversaw much of the Obama
presidential campaign research, encompassing over 200 surveys.
Besides doing ongoing in-depth statistical analysis and Pennsylvania
general election polling for the Obama campaign, our VP Andrew
Maxfield, PhD, also provided polling and strategy in the upset defeat
of Republican Congressman Bill Sali by Democrat Walt Minnick in
conservative Idaho's 1st CD.
Our vice president Chris Keating, PhD, extended his winning streak in
Colorado to include both U.S. Senators by overseeing polling and
strategy in Mark Udall's decisive 10-point victory over Bob Schaffer,
adding to the 2004 win by our client Ken Salazar. In
2004, Harstad Research helped elect the only two new Democratic
senators that year - Obama and Salazar.
Overall, our firm has won 42 out of our past
47 statewide general elections for U.S. senator, governor, initiatives
and presidential Battleground states. Besides Salazar, Udall, and
Obama, our other Senate clients include Claire McCaskill, Tom Harkin
and Jack Reed (the latter two of whom were also reelected this
year). We helped all of them win their first Senate races,
including 5 of the 6 who picked up Republican seats and 2 of the 6 who
defeated incumbent GOP senators.
There is no better way imaginable to lose a Senate client than to see
him sworn in as President. Our congratulations to Barack Obama
and the millions who actively helped him achieve this history-making
victory for America. Today, Obama nominates our clients Senator
Salazar to be his U.S. Interior Secretary and Governor Tom Vilsack to
be his U.S. Agriculture Secretary. |
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