Candidates form online communities

Font Size:

By Melissa Coulter | Saturday, November 4, 2006 1:05 AM CST | () comments

Melissa Coulter

Google Alerts keep Democratic Iowa legislature hopeful Elesha Gayman on top of news stories about her, her opponent or any of her main issues. First Congressional District candidate Bruce Braley, a Democrat, provides video footage and campaign ads to the media through YouTube and has a small profile on Facebook.com. E-mail allows Republican candidate for Iowa state house Linda Miller to respond personally to voter questions. Illinois 17th Congressional District Democratic candidate Phil Hare has captured numerous volunteers through his Web site, not to mention thousands of dollars in campaign donations from hundreds of individual contributors.

The Web is high on candidates’ list of ways to get their message out to voters and get feedback from those in their district. Web sites deliver campaign content on voters’ terms. For many, the Web has become the primary source of information on candidates.

Campaign director Russ Perisho says 1st District Republican candidate Mike Whalen’s Web site is the “prime gateway for many people who don’t know Mike to learn about him.” Communications director Jon Samuels says Hare’s Web site helps “connect communities throughout the district because they come to one central place.” District maps and appearance schedules let voters track their candidate and get a picture of what they are doing and saying throughout the district, rather than having the isolated experience of a few campaign stops in their home town.

The candidates also use the Web to get to know their constituents. Besides the e-mails that come directly to the campaigns, most candidates also keep an eye on blogs and comment streams like those at QCTimes.com.

“I really like to read those because it gives a sense of what the people are thinking and how they’re keeping in touch,” said Phyllis Thede, Democratic candidate for Iowa Senate. “You get to see their understanding of what they’re reading in the paper. It gives me a good perspective.”

Samuels isn’t sure online comments and blogs are the most scientific way of gauging public opinion. But he says, “Sometimes there are helpful points made there that help keep the candidates on their toes. We take the readers’ comments very seriously.”

Miller says she tries to disregard “the ones that are kind of mean-spirited.” She compares the comments to door knocking. “About 1 in 25 will have an idea.” Those are the ones she makes mental note of. But with the anonymity of the comment streams, she can’t follow up. “I’d like to know their name and talk to them about it,” she says.

Gayman says one of the ways the Web has most touched her life is that it has allowed her to communicate with the troops. Former classmates now serving in Iraq have been able to keep an eye on and have even contributed to her campaign through her Web site. “I just feel so honored that they are out there fighting this war and they’re also supporting candidates back home.”

You can expect the candidates to continue to take advantage of e-communications once they take office. Braley became a blogger during the summer months of his campaign. His spokesman Jeff Giertz says it’s likely that Braley will take that up again if elected to keep his constituents informed on what issues are being debated and voted on in Congress. Miller would follow retiring Sen. Maggie Tinsman’s example and communicate with folks in her district both through “snail mail” and e-mail newsletters and request their input through online and hard copy surveys.

With three days left until Election Day, there’s plenty of time to take a closer look at the candidates. Hop online and read their expanded positions on the issues — the ones that don’t fit in a 30 second TV spot. If you don’t see the answers to your questions, send an e-mail to the candidates.

Most importantly — vote.

Melissa Coulter writes on the comments posted online at www.qctimes.com. Contact her at (563) 383-2243 or at mcoulter@qctimes.com.