Winning Strategy
Defending Democracy is vitally important -- but it's not enough. We must repair it also, and work toward reforms that empower the Reasonable Majority to employ proven, durable solutions to the challenges facing our country. The result: REAL opportunity for ALL, and a renewed American Dream.
✓ AWAKEN & ACTIVATE
The vast majority of Americans are reasonable people of goodwill who have grown apathetic and disengaged from our dysfunctional politics. Country First employs unique, hopeful public awareness campaigns -- including television, digital, print, billboard, and guerrilla marketing -- to educate the public and draw more people to our majority.
Our latest campaign, #BreakFree, can be viewed here.
✓ EDUCATE & ENGAGE
Education through engagement is key to introducing Americans to two realities: a) The extremes are gaming our primary election system and flagrant gerrymandering to dominate the Muted Majority of reasonable people (the rest of us); and b) Solutions to many of the problems we face only seem impossible because of the leaders in power, and the incentives in place that encourage gridlock. Yet, one doesn't have to look very hard to find Americans stepping up to creatively solve problems in their communities. We highlight these individuals and their solutions to provide hope and inspiration of what's attainable when we work together.
Country First utilizes the following to Educate & Engage
- Monthly movement-wide virtual "campfire" webinars
- State speakers series highlighting proven solutions
- Robust volunteer program
- National Democracy Scholar program on college campuses nationwide
- Book Club
- Digital and print communication
✓ DEFEAT THREATS TO OUR DEMOCRACY
Country First works to defeat anti-democracy candidates who put their party or cult-of-personality before the country. Those who helped spread lies and conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was rigged have crossed a bright red line and are not fit to serve the American people. With the reality being that almost every district is drawn to be safe for one party (aka gerrymandering), the primary elections are vitally important, yet dominated by extreme elements of the dominant party. Country First devised the Primary First initiative -- the first-of-its-kind (and effective) national strategy to encourage Democrats and Independents to vote in the Republican primary to defeat anti-democracy candidates to ensure they would not be on the November ballot.
During the 2022 election cycle, Country First helped defeat toxic candidates by:
- Airing television advertising
- Sending direct print mail
- Employing digital ads
- Deploying boots on the ground, helping to turn out the vote in key races
- Communicating with millions of voters
This initiative made the difference in many key races, and quite economically. We are now laying the foundation to duplicate and exceed this success in 2023 and 2024.
✓ RECRUIT & TRAIN PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADERS
In 2022, Country First identified a gap in the political marketplace: A non-partisan political leadership incubator. Thus, Country First Academy was born to identify, recruit, and train pro-democracy and pro-freedom leaders who are willing to lead ethically and put Country over Party when it really counts. The Academy is focused primarily on those seeking local office, and seeks to develop in our prospective candidates the skills, knowledge, leadership, and ethics necessary to improve the American political system.
Further, ahead of elections in 2023 and 2024, the Academy is particularly focused on recruiting and training candidates for local office in presidential battleground states.
✓ SUPPORT & LEAD REFORM CAMPAIGNS
Country First has partnered with organizations working to pass key electoral reforms such as non-partisan primaries and general election ranked choice voting in cities and states around the country. Utilizing our volunteer working groups, state chapter network, college students, and membership-at-large, we will mightily contribute to the massive effort to enact these long-term reforms by being engaged in the active reform campaigns each cycle. The goal is for five states to be utilizing this new voting model by 2025 (that means 10 U.S. Senators with a strong incentive to collaborate and compromise -- enough to overcome an unreasonable filibuster).
Winning Strategy
Defending Democracy is vitally important -- but it's not enough. We must repair it also, and work toward reforms that empower the Reasonable Majority to employ proven, durable solutions to the challenges facing our country. The result: REAL opportunity for ALL, and a renewed American Dream.
✓ AWAKEN & ACTIVATE
The vast majority of Americans are reasonable people of goodwill who have grown apathetic and disengaged from our dysfunctional politics. Country First employs unique, hopeful public awareness campaigns -- including television, digital, print, billboard, and guerrilla marketing -- to educate the public and draw more people to our majority.
Our latest campaign, #BreakFree, can be viewed here.
✓ EDUCATE & ENGAGE
Education through engagement is key to introducing Americans to two realities: a) The extremes are gaming our primary election system and flagrant gerrymandering to dominate the Muted Majority of reasonable people (the rest of us); and b) Solutions to many of the problems we face only seem impossible because of the leaders in power, and the incentives in place that encourage gridlock. Yet, one doesn't have to look very hard to find Americans stepping up to creatively solve problems in their communities. We highlight these individuals and their solutions to provide hope and inspiration of what's attainable when we work together.
Country First utilizes the following to Educate & Engage
- Monthly movement-wide virtual "campfire" webinars
- State speakers series highlighting proven solutions
- Robust volunteer program
- National Democracy Scholar program on college campuses nationwide
- Book Club
- Digital and print communication
✓ DEFEAT THREATS TO OUR DEMOCRACY
Country First works to defeat anti-democracy candidates who put their party or cult-of-personality before the country. Those who helped spread lies and conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was rigged have crossed a bright red line and are not fit to serve the American people. With the reality being that almost every district is drawn to be safe for one party (aka gerrymandering), the primary elections are vitally important, yet dominated by extreme elements of the dominant party. Country First devised the Primary First initiative -- the first-of-its-kind (and effective) national strategy to encourage Democrats and Independents to vote in the Republican primary to defeat anti-democracy candidates to ensure they would not be on the November ballot.
During the 2022 election cycle, Country First helped defeat toxic candidates by:
- Airing television advertising
- Sending direct print mail
- Employing digital ads
- Deploying boots on the ground, helping to turn out the vote in key races
- Communicating with millions of voters
This initiative made the difference in many key races, and quite economically. We are now laying the foundation to duplicate and exceed this success in 2023 and 2024.
✓ RECRUIT & TRAIN PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADERS
In 2022, Country First identified a gap in the political marketplace: A non-partisan political leadership incubator. Thus, Country First Academy was born to identify, recruit, and train pro-democracy and pro-freedom leaders who are willing to lead ethically and put Country over Party when it really counts. The Academy is focused primarily on those seeking local office, and seeks to develop in our prospective candidates the skills, knowledge, leadership, and ethics necessary to improve the American political system.
Further, ahead of elections in 2023 and 2024, the Academy is particularly focused on recruiting and training candidates for local office in presidential battleground states.
✓ SUPPORT & LEAD REFORM CAMPAIGNS
Country First has partnered with organizations working to pass key electoral reforms such as non-partisan primaries and general election ranked choice voting in cities and states around the country. Utilizing our volunteer working groups, state chapter network, college students, and membership-at-large, we will mightily contribute to the massive effort to enact these long-term reforms by being engaged in the active reform campaigns each cycle. The goal is for five states to be utilizing this new voting model by 2025 (that means 10 U.S. Senators with a strong incentive to collaborate and compromise -- enough to overcome an unreasonable filibuster).