Why Local Campaigns Are the True Test of Political Strategy

At the 2025 AAPC Southern Regional Conference, political consultants with boots on the ground in major southern cities gathered to talk shop—and if there was one resounding message from the panel on mayoral races, it was this: local still matters. Fred Hicks (HEG LLC), Michael Mulé (Surge Public Affairs), Mary-Patricia Wray (Top-Drawer Strategies), Maria O. Bánjọ Esq. (Fulton County Commissioner Mo Ivory), and Scott Stone (Strategic Impact) shared hard-earned insights on why mayoral campaigns remain the last true test of candidate quality, community connection, and campaign craft.

Unlike increasingly polarized federal contests, mayoral campaigns remain a place where authenticity, local issues, and candidate quality can actually win elections. “Mayor’s races are still kind of the last bastion where the campaign—and being good at it—matters,” said Scott Stone of Strategic Impact, referencing Mobile, Alabama’s long-serving Republican mayor in a majority-minority city. “It’s not just red vs. blue. A localized race can transcend racial and party lines—at least, for now.”

Mary Patricia Ray, who works races across Louisiana, emphasized how unconventional local campaigns can be—and how much flexibility they require. “We’re often running non-electioneering programs while doing paid campaign work,” she said. “The candidate’s story is everything, especially in races where federal issues don’t dominate.” Ray highlighted her use of predictive AI tools for donor targeting, raising 10% more in one parish-level race.

In Georgia, Maria Banjo, a trial lawyer-turned-political operative, managed Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ 2021 campaign. Her lesson? Stay grounded in authenticity—and hustle hard. “We had 14 events in one day sometimes,” she said. “Andre’s rule was never say no to an invitation. And people could tell he was real—he was goofy, he was a nerd, but he connected.”

Michael Mulé of Surge Public Affairs echoed the importance of authenticity, noting that in cities like Charleston and Columbia, Republicans have broken through with local-first messages in historically Democratic areas. “TV market size doesn’t matter when fewer than 100,000 people vote,” Boulay warned. “It’s about knowing your data cold. You’ve got to shoot fish in a barrel.”

So what can consultants take away? Mayoral races may be smaller, but they are anything but simple. And in an off year like 2025, they’re where political innovation—and reputations—will be made.