The Campaign Excellence Awards are a longstanding tradition of the AAPC and recognize those individuals that have significantly contributed to the success of a candidate or public affairs campaign and whose conduct has been consistent with the professional code of ethics of the AAPC. This year, we received 135 nominations in 15 categories from the AAPC membership and political consulting community at large. Each nomination was vetted by an Independent Panel of Judges and recommendations were voted upon and confirmed by the AAPC Board of Directors. AAPC salutes the 2013 AAPC Campaign Excellence Award Winners!

Best Use of New Technology (tie)
NGP VAN/Elizabeth Warren for Senate – Social Organzing
iModerate & Catalist/Development of Voter Insider

Campaign Manager of the Year – Democrat
Tessa Gould/Heidi Heitkamp for Senate, 2012 North Dakota Senate Race

Campaign Manager of the Year – Republican
Keith Gilkes/Champion Group, Friends of Scott Walker, 2012 Recall

Campaign Manager of the Year – Independent Expenditure
Heather Stone and Sylvia Ruiz, SEIU COPE/2012 Presidential Hispanic IE campaign to re-elect Barack Obama

Campaign Strategist of the Year – Democrat
Jim Messina, Obama 2012

Campaign Strategist of the Year – Republican
Brian Tringali and BJ Martino, The Tarrance Group/Scott Walker Recall

Fundraiser of the Year – Democrat
Digital Fundraising Team/Obama for America 2012

International Campaign of the Year
The Mellman Group, Yair Lapid/Yesh Atid – The Journey of One Reporter Who Changed the Face of Israeli Politics

Local Campaign Manager of the Year- Republican
Chad Crow, KC Strategies/Jana Duty for Williamson County, Texas District Attorney

Most Valuable Player of the Year-Democrat
Mark Putnam, Putnam Partners/2012 North Dakota Senate Race, Heidi Heitkamp

Most Valuable Player of the Year-Republican
Mike Shields/National Republican Congressional Committee

Pollster of the Year – Democrat
The Mellman Group

Pollster of the Year – Republican
Glen Bolger/Public Opinion Strategies, Protecting Michigan Taxpayers

Rookie of the Year-Republican
James Barnes, Campaign Solutions

Pro Bono Campaign of the Year
Kurt Snow, Matt Johnson, Wayne Johnson, Gateway Media/”Mahalia, a Gospel Musical”

Public Affairs/Advocacy Campaign of the Year
Goddard Gunster Inc./New Yorkers for Beverage Choices

Ballot Initiative Campaign of the Year
The Mellman Group, Sara Rayme, MGM Resorts International, Tom Russell, Craig Varoga, GMMB, Mike Muir, Ambrosino Muir and Hansen, John Jameson, Winning Connections

Special Pollie For Fostering Democracy – Non-Partisan
Tyler Harber, Harden Global/Work in Ukraine, Iraq, Libya, Egypt & Tunisia

AAPC Industry Service Award
Melanie Rodriguez and Daniel Marquez, Marketing Politico en la Red/MPR