Robert Graham
AZGOP State Chairman
AZGOP State Chairman
(Incumbent, Maricopa County)
As chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, Robert Graham has raised our expectations of what our party can and should accomplish. When Graham became chairman, the party had massive debts, the party headquarters was in shambles, and the grassroots who worked so hard in Arizona had no resources. In less than two short years, Graham and his team, revitalized the headquarters from a dilapidated hang out, to a clean, attractive place, bustling with youth, energy, and action. Graham brought transformational changes to the party to help the conservative cause at every level. Here is just a brief summary of area of remarkable growth that were led by Robert Graham.
Data
Prior to Graham’s tenure the AZ GOP was reliant on the RNC for data. Graham brought in a data agreement from a new cutting edge data company(i360) that provided mobile walk book applications to each PC, and micro targeting. Graham also provided staff support to produce lists and technical support for activists. These efforts empowered some of the strongest grassroots activists to be able to more efficiently target their neighbors.
Digital and Social media
Graham transformed the party’s website, brought video technology to headquarters, and started an online “I am a Republican” campaign featuring a diverse group of conservatives personal stories of why they were Republicans.
In 2014 the AZ GOP surpassed democrats in the volume of social media followers and in tracking and analytical tools to drive the party’s conservative message.
Graham’s video trackers captured Liberal Governor candidate Fred DuVal on film sharing his opposition to parental involvement in abortions and his opposition to parental choice in education. Graham’s social media team capitalized and spread these stories, putting democrats on defense as they closed their defeated campaigns. The AZ GOP’s force drove the mainstream media to hold democrats accountable and provided content for conservative allies to produce TV ads.
Outreach
Arizona’s diverse community of ethnic groups often see politicians before an election but Graham led party outreach efforts to their leaders long before needed their votes. Graham convened meetings with ethnic leaders and delivered results. He sponsored and attended new year’s festivals, community celebrations, Navajo parades, and even fielded a competitive team for a Chinese Dragon Boat race (Placing 5th place!). Graham’s relentless pace and schedule was noted by many community leaders and the party is now grateful to have many more allies of the Republican Party. The Party can look forward to multiplying these efforts should Graham get reelected!
Voter Registration
Graham led paid voter registration efforts helping Republicans maintain a larger voter base over Democrats. Raising money for bounties, and paid circulators to grow the Republican party. In 2012 there were 168,000 more Republicans in Arizona than Democrats. After two years of a focused voter registration drive the spread Republicans over Democrats jumped to 178,000.
Facility Upgrades
He replaced two broken air conditioning units. He painted the inside and outside. Repaired the restrooms. Replaced the molded carpet. Put up a modern sign to welcome the community. Transformed a once vacancy phone bank center into a social media war room with a large conference table to welcome visitors, donors, and for strategy meetings. He cleaned out the storage shed’s two decades old records, and gave important documents to Arizona’s universities to archive our political history. He equipped the office with new digital phones.
Mobilize to Win 2014-Victory!
The capstone of Graham’s 1st term was his efforts to directly turn out GOP voters in 2014. Graham knew that the party had a strong role to play in turning out Republicans to accomplish victory in 2014. He raised resources and developed partnerships to open 12 offices around the state, worked with local and county parties to provide them world class data, built a social media war room to drive and build stories about the democrats, and funded a “paid” live phone call center to turn out Republicans less likely to vote. For the first time in years, the AZ GOP mailed ALL REPUBLICANS STATEWIDE, a slate piece encouraging them to vote for conservative initiatives and for the entire statewide candidate slate. The efforts paid off! Republican won every statewide office, held their majorities in the Arizona legislature, and flipped the US Congressional delegation from a majority democrat to a majority republican delegation.
More successes led by Chairman Graham:
Chairman Graham is who we need to continue the momentum that we have begun
and to take us into the 2016 Presidential election cycle.
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