Overview
In 2006, Anibal Ramos, a county official and former school board member, challenged a well-known incumbent in the nonpartisan election for the North Ward Council seat in Newark, New Jersey. The North Ward is a heavily Democratic, culturally diverse community with a large Hispanic population. At the top of the ticket, longtime Newark Mayor Sharpe James did not seek reelection, avoiding a rematch of the historic 2002 election between James and newcomer Cory Booker.
The Challenge
Ramos faced incumbent Hector Corchado, whose history of service on the council and police force translated to high name recognition in the community. Initial polling confirmed Corchado’s advantage with a 24 percentage point lead over Ramos despite a general unhappiness with the status quo. To unseat Corchado, Ramos had to significantly boost his own name recognition, tie himself to the popular Booker campaign, and associate Corchado with existing voter discontent.
The Result
Kennedy Communications crafted an 11 piece mail program that positioned Ramos as an effective voice for change in the North Ward, while portraying Corchado as an ineffective, wasteful and self-serving politician. By using key local issues including crime, budget problems, and public money for a controversial hockey arena, the mail appealed to issues voters understood and cared about. In the end, Ramos came from behind to defeat Corchado by a nearly 3-1 margin.