The Republican Party is ramping up its strategy in key battleground states with direct-mail campaigns aimed at discrediting Vice President Kamala Harris and painting former President Donald Trump as a protector of Social Security. This approach comes as they face challenges with higher spending on TV and digital ads from their opponents.
According to data from Mintt, a mail tracking company, a whopping 81 percent of direct mail connected to the presidential race in September came from Republican groups or pro-Trump organizations. This figure was even higher at 96 percent in August, emphasizing the GOP’s stronghold on the mailboxes of voters.
Mintt further elaborated, “At the end of August and early September, Republicans dominated the mail volume for voters. By September, the ratio shifted to about four GOP mailings for every one Democratic.” The focus of these mailings mainly revolves around the economy, with important topics like gas prices, housing costs, and Social Security gaining traction.
Key issues such as immigration, gun rights, and crime are also heavily featured, with organizations including America PAC and the NRA leading the charge in promoting these messages through mailers.
You might think that in a world driven by digital ads and algorithms, traditional direct mail is outdated. However, USPS data sheds light on its effectiveness. Surveys show that 57% of voters find direct mail less easy to ignore compared to online or TV ads. Moreover, 68% feel it is less overwhelming, and 55% find it more memorable.
Political mail is on track for record spending, soaring from 2.9 billion pieces in the 2018 midterms to an anticipated 3.9 billion in 2022. The financial outlay for political mail went up from $575 million to $826 million during the same period.
USPS stated in its publication, The Eagle, that “political mail effectively raises awareness about candidates, influences public policy issues, and motivates voters.” With over $675 million spent already on TV and digital ads since September 1, Trump’s campaign has generally relied on the impact of these direct mail efforts, which cannot be skipped or ignored as easily as commercial breaks.
Interestingly, when individuals register to vote, they unintentionally opt in to receive campaign mail. Their information becomes public, accessible for political purposes. Although there are guidelines regulating campaign mailings, no limitations exist on the volume of political mail sent out, leading many voters—regardless of their political affiliations—to find their mailboxes overflowing with promotional pieces.
While the Federal Trade Commission provides tools to limit marketing mail, this does not extend to political communications, leaving voters with few options to stem the deluge of campaign-related mail they receive.