Robert Ehrlich Effectively using Social Media in Political Campaign

By Mitchell Schmale

Back on June 14, 2010, I blogged about the 2010 gubernatorial race in Maryland and how both candidates are planning to use social media platforms, such as FaceBook and Twitter, to share their political views and deliver their campaign messages directly to voters.

On July 1, the simmering social media campaign kicked into high-gear as Republican candidate Robert Ehrlich made the long awaited announcement of his running mate in former Maryland Secretary of State Mary Kane. Ehrlich’s choice for his Lieutenant Governor may not have surprised many political analysts, but the way he made the announcement certainly did.

Ehrlich did not make the announcement at a press conference outside the State House in Annapolis or standing in front of his campaign headquarters or some other traditional campaign spot we have all come to expect in political races. Instead, he made the announcement via a You Tube video posted on his FaceBook page at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, June 30.

The timing and method of his announcement had political pundits buzzing and also re-examining the possibilities and strategies behind the use of social media in the campaign. By using FaceBook as his chosen outlet to share his news, Ehrlich made his supporters in his social media network feel connected and important to their candidate. They were getting the news first and saw a real benefit to being connected to Ehrlich via Facebook. It also provided Ehrlich an inexpensive forum to share his campaign announcement and receive initial grassroots feedback to plan for next steps.

The announcement helped pump up fans on Ehrlich’s Facebook early in the race and build a greater network for future announcements and campaigning. Since the June 30 announcement, Ehrlich has grown his fans on Facebook by roughly 6,000 people to nearly 33,000 compared to his rival Governor Martin O’Malley’s more than 12,000.

Finally, the timing at 10 p.m. on a Wednesday night was carefully orchestrated to make the announcement breaking news for 11 p.m. TV news networks across the state that night, as well as the top story the next morning during drive time.

I am sure we will see more announcements, as well as direct responses to various future campaign ads on both sides shared via social media forums as the race plays out through the coming months. Additionally, supporters and undecided voters alike will also see the benefit of following one or both candidates online to receive unedited and unfiltered campaign messages as they make their choice in November. The race is on…

Mitchell Schmale is the Vice President of Maroon PR's Corporate Division. Contact him at mitchell@maroonpr.com.

Maryland Governor Election Heavily Relying on Social Media

By Mitchell Schmale

As the race for governor begins to heat up in Maryland during the summer months, there will be a new political battleground in the 2010 gubernatorial race: the world of social media.

Republican challenger and former Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich and current Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley are both planning to share their political platforms and take their messages directly to voters across the state through active social media campaigns including Facebook and Twitter. Both candidates are currently working to grow their respective social media sites as they add followers and fans. The plan for both is that their arsenal of social media tools will be primed and ready to be maximized in the fall as the campaign heads down the stretch.

The 2008 presidential election made history by utilizing social media platforms to help share messages and reach voters, but this is new territory for the governor’s race in Maryland. Social media platforms were not a major part of the campaign strategy in 2006 for the governor’s race. But, the social media world has evolved quickly since then and is now a force to be reckoned with in the world of politics. It’s a free way to share messages with supporters, volunteers and potential voters during a fast-paced campaign when every day counts and during a time when political fundraising for candidates in a sluggish economy will be tougher than ever.

It’s always interesting to watch a hotly contested gubernatorial race play out in print, radio and TV over the life of a campaign. In Maryland, we can now we can add social media to the political battlefield. Let the campaigning begin.

Mitchell Schmale is the Vice President of Maroon PR's Corporate Division. Contact him at mitchell@maroonpr.com.