MIKE PROKOP: “Good morning…my name is Mike Prokop. I’m a volunteer with Mitt Romney’s presidential team. Just came by to ask you a quick question. Can he count on your support next month during the election?”
Mike Prokop is 57 and a life-long Clevelander. He used to work in sales, but now he’s unemployed. On Saturdays, he knocks on doors for Mitt Romney.
We’re in Mayfield Village, a Cuyahoga County suburb that went for John McCain in 2008 and John Kasich in 2010. As we get out of the car at one home, Prokop says most people he meets say they’ll vote Romney.
PROKOP: “I don’t believe the people whose doors I’m knocking on are dead-set against Mitt. So I’m not out there converting people…If I were out there converting people, I’d click my heels.”
And that’s because Prokop’s job is to reach known and likely Republicans.
At one of the first homes we visit, Prokop shows me the iPhone app the campaign uses for canvassing. There’s a list of voters on the screen.
PROKOP: “And there’s a questionnaire in here.”
The questions: Was the voter home? Are they voting for Romney? Are they voting early?
Republican consultant Matt Dole says the campaign makes lists of registered Republicans and people it guesses are Republicans based on things like magazine subscriptions and income. The campaign tracks who tells canvassers they’ll vote for Romney.
DOLE: “And then the mail will flow, the phones will flow, the TV ads will flow – everything else will flow based on that data.”
That helps people like Scott Jennings. He’s director of the Romney campaign in Ohio, which boasts 40 field offices and thousands volunteers in the state. Jennings says data helps him craft messages specific to individual voters.
JENNINGS: “If you’re in manufacturing in Cleveland, our plan helps. If you’re in the defense industry around Dayton, or Mansfield, or Lima, our plan helps.”
In particular, Republicans hope to take coal country – southeast Ohio counties that went for McCain in 2008, but for Ted Strickland in 2010.
On the drive back to the GOP field office, I ask Prokop if he thinks Romney will win Ohio.
PROKOP: “I’m cautiously optimistic I feel more optimistic than not. Actually, I am optimistic. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to happen, but I’m not down.”
And now we hear about the Obama campaign’s ground game from ideastream’s Brian Bull.
(SOUND OF PHONE BANKS)
Thanks, Nick! I’m here in Kent, at an Obama field office for its “Women Calling Women” event. Phone bank volunteers are dialing away…including retiree Deborah Frazier….
DFrazier01: “Hi, Jane? My name is Deborah, I’m a neighbor here in Kent…and I was calling to see who if you thought about who you’re going to support during the presidential election….” (:09)
Deborah’s calling up homes in Portage County. She’s frustrated with her latest call.
DFrazier02: “…because she’s very confused by the commercials that she’s seeing on TV. And normally she votes Democrat, so she’s going to take her time, and wait and vote on Election Day...” (:12)
But if Frazier’s frustrated, she’s at least connecting with what Jerry Austin considers the essential demographic:
JAustin02: “Women voters are going to determine this election. Suburban women in particular.”
A long-time Democratic consultant in Cleveland, Austin says both camps are working hard to connect with key supporters, in what’s become one of the most aggressive ground games yet.
JAustin01: “This is not a swing election. This is an election based on which candidate does a better job of getting their supporters out to vote.”
President Obama’s advantage is that he has an entrenched network of support from his 2008 campaign. Many of its 125 field offices have been on standby for the 2012 battle, especially those in Northern Ohio. On this balmy afternoon, canvassers in “blue friendly” Parma get a pep talk from visiting Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic…
DPlusquellic01: “Please do everything you can, go out on the street, convince your friends….we cannot afford four years of Romney, and what Kasich brought, and what Bush brought….please work as hard as you can.”
I’m told the usual pep talk isn’t as lively. But 22-year-old Abigail Milspaw – who’s volunteered since John Kerry’s campaign – says she gets fired up anyway talking to locals about Obama’s re-election bid. She says her first door-to-door visit today went great.
AMilspaw01: “I asked the woman if she had decided if she’d be supporting the president, and she said that she would. Asked her also about Sherrod Brown, and I reminded her how important early voting is and gave her information on the hours. Now that she knows that, maybe she’ll vote early! And that’d be awesome…”
Another canvasser, Geoff Krickhan, say talking face-to-face beats phone calls and mailers. It even leads to new contacts, like when Krickhan passes by Jason McKee’s yard.
Exchange01: “Whatcha guys doin’? If I may ask?” (Oh, we’re just going door to door, asking people about President Obama, Sherrod Brown.) “Sherrod Brown? I’m all about it.”
The former Marine turned postman tells Krickhan he’s crossing over, politically.
Exchange02: “You probably have me as a Republican…” (That’s no problem, we’ve talked to people who have switched…”)
Every supporter counts in this tightening race. But speaking of numbers, Obama campaign coordinators are tight-lipped about the exact number of volunteers, mailings, or robo-calls made in Ohio. With the rival camps eyeing each other’s progress, neither one wants to look short-handed in this battleground state.
Brian Bull, 90.3