Come join the Monmouth County Democrats for our 3rd Annual Campaign Training Boot Camp Review! Come learn the skills needed to win elections! We are sponsoring A full day of training for activists, candidates, municipal chairs, county committee persons & anyone interested in learning how to wage a successful campaign.

RSVP BELOW!

Campaign Training Schedule:

9:30am to 10:00am
Sign-In, Bagels and Coffee Served

10:00am to 10:15am
Welcome Remarks
Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal and Ocean County Democratic Chairman Wyatt Earp will welcome the audience.

10:15am to 10:45am
TOPIC: Your Database – Who you know and how to reach them
Speaker: Marta Harrison
Marta Harrison is former Mayor of Lakewood and the former vice chair of the Ocean County Democrats. Her understanding of both politics and technology is a key component in her ability to help candidates win in heavily Republican areas including Lakewood, Brick, Jackson, Stafford, South Toms River and Barnegat.   She has extensive experience in combining technology and direct personal contact to drive fund raising and build a campaign team.

10:45am to 11:15am
TOPIC: Winning in Republican Strongholds - A Conversation
Speakers: Brick Township Mayor John Ducey & Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik
Mayor John Ducey was elected Mayor of Brick Township in November of 2013 with 61% of the vote, the same year Governor Chris Christie won the town with 75% of the vote. He previously served on the City Council in 2012 and 2013 in the role of Council President. Brick is all Democratic now with John’s leadership. Mayor Jon Hornik was elected Mayor of Marlboro Township in 2007 and re-elected in 2011 with more than 65% of the vote. He convinced two of the Republican councilmembers to switch their registrations to Democrat to join him. The town is heavily Republican with Steve Lonegan and Chris Christie winning the towns in their respective races. Mayors Ducey and Hornik will discuss how they are so successful in towns with a larger GOP voter registration than Democrats.

11:15am to 12:00pm
TOPIC: Advice to Local Candidates - Communicating and Messaging, the Do’s and Dont’s of Local Politics
Speaker: Steve Ayscue
Steve Ayscue is a top corporate and political strategist. Steve advises the New Jersey Senate and Assembly Democratic Caucuses, and the Democratic Party in Southern New Jersey. He has advised numerous winning campaigns for federal, state, county, and municipal offices, including U.S. Senator Cory A. Booker, U.S. Rep. William J. Pascrell, Jr., U.S. Rep. Robert E. Andrews, the late U.S. Rep. John H. Adler, Gov. Jim Florio, NJ Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop. He is also an adjunct professor of political science and urban studies at Rutgers University, Camden.

12:00 to 12:45 pm
TOPIC: Social Media
Speaker: Marshall Spevak
Marshall Spevak is currently Deputy Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (D-Atlantic), who beat a Republican incumbent in a year where Governor Chris Christie was re-elected (2013). Marshall previously worked as Social Media Director for the New Jersey Democratic State Committee and as a Senior Associate for Kennedy Communications, a direct mail political consulting firm in Washington, DC. He’s worked on the successful campaigns of the late Congressman John Adler, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and State Senator Jim Whelan. He serves as President of the New Jersey Young Democrats.

12:45 to 1:15pm
Lunch Break

1:15 to 2:00pm
TOPIC: Communications and Talking to Local Press
Speaker: Paul Brubaker
Paul Brubaker, a former high school social studies teacher who previously covered
politics for the Star-Ledger, the Herald News and the Montclair Times, is one of New Jersey’s top political operatives in communications and messaging. Paul served previously as Communications Director to U.S. Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr., managed Essex County Freeholder Brendan Gill's 2011 campaign, and served as Communications Director for Senator Robert Menendez's successful 2012 US Senate race. He is currently State Director to the office of US Senator Bob Menendez.

2:00pm to 2:45pm
TOPIC: Fundraising & Building a Finance Plan
Speaker: Scott Snyder
Building a Finance Plan – how much you need to raise and how you’re going to do it. The focus is to provide participants with traditional and outside of the box ideas to raise enough money to fund their campaign.  The discussion will include how to put together fundraising lists, how to organize an event and keep costs low. Scott Snyder is a fundraiser to many members of the Legislature including Assemblyman Gary Schaer and Assemblyman Joe Cryan. He previously worked as a top aide to U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone.

2:45pm to 3:30pm
TOPIC: Field, Targeting and Getting Out the Vote
Speaker: Mitch Seim
Mitch Seim got his start in politics working as a field organizer on John Adler’s successful 2008 congressional campaign. Prior to entering politics, he worked in science and academia. Mitch holds a PhD. in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Kansas. He advised the strategy on the successful county chair’s elections of Vin Gopal and Wyatt Earp in 2012. He was also the general consultant for John Ducey’s successful election as Mayor of Brick Township in 2013 and was recognized by PolitickerNJ.com as one of the top Democratic operatives in the state in their year-end wrap-up.

3:30pm
CANDIDATE PHOTOS
We will be providing free, professional photos and head shots by Mario Marcal Studio for all candidates. The Monmouth and Ocean County Dems Staff will be available to speak to candidates afterwards.