The Mellman Group Named “Pollster Of The Year”

In a tough cycle for Democrats, The Mellman Group’s string of upset victories and unparalleled accuracy brought the firm the prestigious “Pollster of the Year” award from the American Association of Political Consultants at last night’s Pollie Award banquet, the second time the Association has bestowed this coveted award on the firm.

Just last month, The Mellman Group also won two Reed Awards from Campaigns & Elections magazine for “Campaign Comeback of the Year” (for Leader Harry Reid’s victory, won together with our colleagues on Team Reid), “Best Use of New Technology” (for our innovative internet-based ad testing) and was a finalist slot for “Best Use of Targeting Technology” (for advanced micro-targeting).

Firm President Mark Mellman expressed gratitude for the Pollie honor, “We owe our success to a group of outstanding candidates and fantastic teams, but we are very proud of this special recognition of our work by our peers in the consulting and public affairs industry.”  The Mellman Group was proud to have worked with five campaigns that were also recognized with special Pollie awards.

The AAPC honored The Mellman Group for setting new standards in developing winning strategies and producing accurate data. Any of seven races the firm won during the two year cycle could be award-worthy. Taken together, they represent an unparalleled record of achievement. Indeed, two of RealClear Politics’ “5 Biggest Upsets of 2010” were Mellman Group clients and, based on 538.com’s odds, the chances of The Mellman Group pulling off just its set of statewide victories this year were less than 1 in 100.

Most prominent among them was Harry Reid’s win in Nevada, labeled the “Best Campaign of 2010” by the Washington Post and the single biggest upset of the year by RealClear Politics. The Mellman Group’s street smart strategic and tactical advice, based on sophisticated tools, played a central role in winning a race that most thought unwinnable.

Moreover, as described by the Las Vegas Sun in an article headlined “How Harry Reid’s Pollster Got It Right,” The Mellman Group’s polls were the only accurate surveys in the race. Every other late survey had Republican Sharron Angle leading, while The Mellman Group poll gave Reid a consistent 5-6 point lead in the end, matching his final margin exactly.

Mellman noted, “We were delighted to share the Pollie spotlight with Brandon Hall and Rebecca Lambe who together won the Pollie for ‘Campaign Manager of the Year’ for their work on the Reid campaign and with Jake Perry who was honored as ‘Fundraiser of the Year’ for his outstanding efforts in support of Leader Reid. GMMB, the campaign’s media consultants, won a series of awards for their Reid television ads, as did Ambrosino, Hansen and Muir, the campaign’s direct mail firm.”

Reid’s race was not the firm’s only stunning upset, nor the only race in which the firm was alone in projecting the correct winner. Governor Pat Quinn was given just an 18% chance of winning by 538.com, as every poll besides those of The Mellman Group showed him running behind his GOP challenger. Here too the firm provided accurate polling along with compelling messages and effective strategies that propelled Quinn to victory in what RealClear Politics labeled the 5th biggest upset in the country. Manager Ben Nuckels and media maestro Joe Slade White were also lauded for their essential contributions to Governor Quinn’s victory.

Longtime client Senator Barbara Boxer faced a multimillionaire challenger in the state with the second highest unemployment in the nation. Republicans spent millions against Boxer believing they had a real chance to win, and provided polls showing the race even. Again, The Mellman Group was dead-on.  The accurate numbers along with the firm’s strategic guidance were central in turning a possible loss into a landslide victory.  Boxer manager Rose Kapolczynski won a well-deserved Pollie for “Most Valuable Player,” while here too, GMMB produced award-winning ads.

In addition to handling the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s extensive independent expenditure campaign for now Senator Joe Manchin (working with media consultants Dixon/Davis), The Mellman Group was also the pollster for three victorious Mayors in award-worthy races.

The Mellman Group helped Mitch Landrieu prevail to become Mayor of New Orleans without a runoff in a race that was honored with a Pollie as “Best Local Campaign of the Year”-accepted by Manager, and now Deputy Mayor, Emily Sneed Arata and ad maker Chad Clanton. The firm also assisted Jim Gray in becoming the first openly gay mayor of Lexington Kentucky-a campaign for which manger Jamie Emmons won a Pollie for “Local Campaign Manager of the Year.” Emmons and Mellman noted that Doc Sweitzer’s outstanding ads played a central role in producing the victory. The Mellman Group was also privileged to work with award-winning manger Jill Alper of Dewey Square Group and Joe Slade White in helping novice candidate Dave Bing emerge victorious in his race for Mayor of Detroit.


Whether winning for you means getting more votes than your opponent, selling more product, changing public policy, raising more money or generating more activism, The Mellman Group transforms data into winning strategies.