Does Policy Even Matter?

Popular policies still matter, even when storytelling is paramount

An argument can be made that it doesn’t actually matter what particular policies a candidate running for office is for or against, because the average voter doesn’t know much about policy, likely has idiosyncratic views anyways, and generally is voting for the person and the message rather than for any particular policy.

That argument is not wrong. Candidates that have incredibly in-depth policy platforms and nuanced views on every issue, but who fail to tell compelling stories or connect with voters on an emotional level are overwhelmingly likely to lose.

So why does supporting popular policies even matter?

I matters because being for popular things and against unpopular ones is the surest way to reach a baseline level of support when facing voters. Sure, candidates who come out of the gate supporting all kids of wild policies can win in today’s polarized environment simply on the strength of the (D) or (R) after their names, but that’s not the typical outcome. More often, party affiliation will come with a guiding set of guardrails that constrain the candidate to a certain set of policies that are broadly popular within the party at large. Constraining the types of policies a candidate is able to support is actually a strength of our much-maligned two-party system.

The key however, for successful candidates and campaigns that want to actually get things done, is understanding how to prioritize and message well. Just because your party is for a policy does not mean it should be front-and-center of your campaign. And just because your party is against a policy, you shouldn’t automatically discount supporting it, so long as it’s broadly popular with voters. Candidates and campaigns are more successful when they put popular policies front-and-center and let less popular ideas fade to the background. Elected leaders are more successful at actually enacting policies when those policies are broadly popular rather than pursuing personal white whales and trying to ram through policies that the general public does not approve of.

The big message here is that policy does matter - it should be the bedrock of every good campaign and something that all candidates for office should care about and be well-versed in. Supporting popular policies is an entry-ticket into the game of being a serious candidate and an effective public servant. Even if most voters end up casting their ballots based on a candidate’s party affiliation or personal message and story, a sure-fire way to fail right from the beginning is to support a slate of unpopular policies.

Or to be a witch.