Cam Winton on GOP Messaging

On today’s Gilmore and Glahn internet radio show, we hosted in our second half-hour Republican Cam Winton, who ran for Mayor of Minneapolis last year.

On the show, Winton offered some parting advice on the GOP campaign this November.  His four-point platform was structured on the Jeff Johnson vs. Mark Dayton race, but I think it will have wider appeal.  Here, I reprint Cam's remarks from the show, beginning at the 49:20 mark,

·       1 ) Under Jeff Johnson, all kids in Minnesota would have the best possible teacher in their classroom.  Under Dayton, they won’t – because Dayton defends teachers union bosses last in first out and is trying to keep out Teach for America.  

2) Under Jeff Johnson, all people in Minnesota could choose the health plan that works best for them – as any and all insurers compete against each other to provide the cheapest possible insurance.  Under Dayton, they won’t – because we’ll continue with the centrally-planned debacle of MNSure that limits competition.  

3) Under Jeff Johnson, we’ll make Minnesota an attractive place to start a new business – so that we can grow the next Medtronic or Target.  Under Dayton, we’ll continue to have stifling regulation that leads to us being #47 in the nation for per-capita number of new business starts.  [On the air, Cam said dead last. But he looked it up and we were #47 in 2013 according to Kaufman Foundation.]

4) Under Jeff Johnson, government will be a good steward of tax dollars, paying for our priorities.  Under Dayton, it won’t – we’ll keep spending on a palace for politicians and a football stadium where the numbers don’t add up.

Back in May of last year, I offered my own bloated five point message, aimed at the low information voter and reprinted here:

·        “We will make it easier for you to start and run your own business.”  Does not require voters to know how Minnesota ranks on business formations.

·        “We will help get your child out of a failing school”   Avoids insider phrases like achievement gap or vouchers.

             

·        “We will make sure your tax money is not wasted”  Labels like spending, deficits, debt, work less well when you are not familiar with the condition of state finances.

·        “You will get to keep more of what you earn”  Every one pays taxes, but a pitch based on “eliminating the new 4^th tier income tax” presumes way to much information.

·        “We will help those who need it most”  This phrase is what the argument around “priorities” really comes down to, but without the abstraction.