Duncan Launches Website, Targeted Campaign

Doug Duncan talks to supporters in June after a speechA lot has changed in social media and campaigning since the last time Doug Duncan ran for office.

“Back in 2006, it was Facebook and Myspace and that was about it,” Duncan said Wednesday, a few hours after the Democratic county executive hopeful launched his campaign website. “That has changed dramatically. It makes much more sense to do campaigning through social media than through radio. You really want to target the people who want to show up and vote.”

Microtargeting of known voters has become common in the last decade. Duncan was in his third of three terms as county executive when George W. Bush advisor Karl Rove made the practice famous on a national scale in 2004.

The Duncan website includes a biography, blog with info on Duncan’s daily campaign activities, media clips and places to contribute.

“Our plan is for a very modern campaign, like [Rep. John] Delaney did, like Obama did in certain states,” Duncan said. “It involves a lot of personal contact, door-knocking, mail and social media.”

Duncan said a package of specific policy proposals are in the works and he hopes those ideas will garner some interaction on the website.

As for the county executive campaign, which pits him against County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) and County Councilmember Phil Andrews (D), Duncan said he expects interest to really ramp up in early 2014.

The Democratic Primary is June 24.

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