Campaign Craft: The Strategies, Tactics, and Art of Political Campaign Management

In one compact volume, this book affords the reader a lot of insight into the way a professional campaign consultant evaluates a modern election contest. It shows the techniques of sophisticated precinct analysis and targeting, media strategies, polling, fundraising, and research. The book is also well sourced, so the reader can go to specific books, articles, and other reference materials for in-depth study of any given topic. The book discusses internet campaigning, but not with the kind of comprehensiveness that is needed now. In fairness, the book was written in the 90s, before the indispensable role of the internet in political campaigns had been established. The modern professional can easily augment the materials in this book with independent research on internet campaigning, which is readily available. I highly recommend this book for the campaign professional and manager.

Shea definatly puts the science into political science. I found the book went further than most in analyzing most aspects of campaigning. I've read all the books from Robert Thomas, Gary Bosley, Catherine Shaw, Ireland and Nash, and now Shea. I think Shea has the better book, but all should be read and read again, for I have found useful information in all of them. Three days before 9/11 I entered the race for my City Council. Totally unprepared and overwhelmed I bowed out before the election. I'll be trying again for a seat on my city council in the next off year election cycle and I found the chapters on prior electoral targeting very helpful. Both the book and my volunteer work in other races have taught me a valuable lesson. Most important, have the support of your family, then begin early (in my case two years), do your homework, and cultivate relationships with movers and shakers. No book can ever replace the real world experience of working for a candidate or party, but Shea, more than others has provided me the rough framework for a realistic and successful attempt at public office.

This book is one of the first books I reccomend whenever anyone asks me for a primer on political campaign strategy. This book is not for true beginners - if you don't know how to run a get out the vote operation or organize your grassroots organization, buy this book AFTER you've read a book geared towards beginners.If you know the basics though, this book will guide you through Political Campaign Strategy 201 - it is a great, intermediate level work.I wrote "25 Fundraising Secrets - Raise More Money, Guaranteed" to give political candidates some great advice on fundraising for thier campaigns. I often tell readers of my book to check out Shea's book as well, which has an good fundraising strategy section that gives the basics, and compliments my "secrets" book well.

As a previously elected official (Mayor of Ashland, OR), author of The Campaign Manager, Running and Winning Local Elections, and a local campaigner for the last 15 years, I try to read every book there is on running campaigns. The process of running an election is always evolving and so I look for new material to expand my understanding of this bizarre field. Daniel Shea's book is excellent. It is well written, comprehensive, and has a depth of field I've found in no other book. While it may not give you the step-by-step approach to campaigning, it does provide the necessary foundation for understanding the process and getting to a win. What a resource.Shea's accounts of statewide campaigns are extraordinarily helpful in illustrating specific aspects of a campaign and his understanding and explanation of electoral targeting is excellent. Electoral targeting and precinct analysis may be one of the most important things a candidate can do to win an election and yet is the most difficult for some to understand. However, Daniel Shea is able to explain it in simple, understandable ways so the reader can apply it. Whether you're interested in running for office or simply want a better understanding of how the process works, I would recommend this book. Easily five stars. I only wish I'd written it.

This book contains great insights into the structure of modern political campaigning and provides a foundation for interpreting and applying, in context, newer trends in the trade. Both the political observer and campaign professional will be rewarded through studious consideration of its content.