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WPAi Wins Big at 2019 Reed Awards
Did you hear the big news? WPA Intelligence brought home three awards from The 2019 Reed Awards for our outstanding work in the 2018 Election Cycle!
Best Use of Data Analytics/ Machine Learning
In one particularly data driven race, the use of analytics ensured WPAi could provide decision making and targeting power despite conflicting information. At times, public polling on its own told a very different story than measuring the “state of play” by incorporating predictive modeling. Utilizing polling and analytics together allowed for the strategy and tactics to shape a winning operation.
Scores derived using predictive modeling drove WPAi’s subsequent polling, ensuring an accurate representation of the total vote through Proportionate Probability Sampling (PPS), where a higher turnout score provided a better chance for selection in the sample. This allowed us to sample the correct number of voters, couple with their likelihood to vote, and control for ever-changing enthusiasm.
Best Data Analytics Solution
The “WPAi Guided Analytics Platform” is a custom modeling solution that enables our team of data scientists to produce resource-efficient analytics and strategic advice at speeds and volumes unheard of outside presidential campaigns. This tool moves campaigns beyond daily tracking polls and into daily predictive models, much like microtargeting advanced traditional polling. This tool was used on behalf of top statewide races to produce up to 900 million voter scores, per night, for the last two months of the campaign.
Overall, our daily tracking alone produced as many as 57 scores on as many as 23 million voters. This system allowed us to deliver detailed trends for dozens of targeted universes and demographics, plus prescriptive analytics and strategic advice first thing the next morning.
Best Use of Online Targeting for Gubernatorial Campaign- Republican
WPAi combined custom modeling with a wealth of existing data to provide one Gubernatorial campaign with a layered topography of the electorate. Identifying which voters were concerned with, or could be motivated by, specific issues or messages allowed for a tightly-targeted digital campaign that evolved over the course of the primary and general elections to deliver specific messages to specific voters.
WPA Announces Hiring of Hilary Bombard Resta
WASHINGTON—WPA Intelligence, a leading conservative polling and data analytics firm announces the hiring of Hilary Bombard Resta to head the firm’s digital department.
Hilary brings years of digital experience and expertise as well as political acumen to the team. Before joining WPAi, she served as Deputy Digital Director for Texans for Greg Abbott. Resta oversaw an ad budget of $12 million, as well as content creation and campaign messaging.
Prior to joining Abbott’s team, she worked for leading digital firm Targeted Victory where she managed the strategic online advertising and communications plans for multiple statewide initiatives and Gubernatorial campaigns. Resta also served as the Email Marketing Manager for Mitt Romney’s presidential race in 2012.
Resta’s position expands WPAi’s suite of services, providing clients with a comprehensive solution that pairs expert opinion research and data analytics with digital strategy and execution.
As Senior Digital Strategist, Resta will lead the firm’s digital department by integrating the digital implementation of WPAi’s data into client strategy. This growth allows WPAi to offer an end-to-end solution to their clients by driving outcomes with the right messages, identifying the right audiences, and helping campaigns and existing digital vendors deliver highly targeted digital advertising using an integrated, complete solution consisting of opinion research and data analytics.
“Our digital strategy and advertising practice will leverage WPAi’s sophisticated audiences and messaging into highly targeted digital advertising campaigns,” said WPA CEO Chris Wilson. “With WPAi, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. While there are firms that specialize in opinion research, data analytics, or digital strategy, there are few other firms in Republican politics that can offer all three under one roof.”
About WPAi
Since 1998, WPA Intelligence has been a leading provider of survey research, predictive analytics and technology for corporations, educational institutions, public affairs programs, non-profits and campaigns from President to Governor, U.S. Senate, and local elections in all 50 states and multiple foreign countries. In the 2017-2018 cycle, WPAi’s polling and data plotted the course for multiple winning Senate, Governor’s races and House campaigns.
WPAi’s data and analytics continue to lead the industry. In the 2016 Republican primary for president, arguably the most unprecedented presidential contest by way of turnout and political environment volatility, WPAi accurately projected turnout and the ballot score in 42 states through the use of advanced, predictive analytics. In 2018 our predictive analytics tools were a key element of the RNC Voter Scores program and predicted the margins in numerous races with unmatched accuracy.
WPAi has been nationally recognized for providing cutting edge intelligence to help our clients win. The American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) awarded WPAi “Pollies” for our Predictive Analytics and Adaptive Sampling techniques and our groundbreaking data-focused social media application “Leonardo.” In addition, WPAi received a “Reed Award” for building the most expansive, optimized field program in GOP politics on behalf of Abbott for Governor in 2018.
School Choice Survey: Oklahoma Council Public Affairs
These findings were originally published on the Oklahoma Council Public Affairs Website
Written by: Brandon Dutcher, Senior Vice President OCPA
The statewide survey of 500 registered Oklahoma voters was commissioned by OCPA and conducted by WPA Intelligence from January 29 to January 31, 2019. The margin of error is ±4.4 percent.
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Yet another scientific survey of Oklahoma voters has found strong support for educational choice.
The statewide survey of 500 registered Oklahoma voters was commissioned by OCPA and conducted by WPA Intelligence from January 29 to January 31, 2019. The margin of error is ±4.4 percent. Below are the questions related to parental choice:
“If you could select any type of school in order to obtain the best education for your child or children, and financial costs and transportation were of no concern, what type of school would you select?”
Traditional public school … 46%
Charter school … 9%
Private or parochial school … 34%
Home school … 7%
Don’t know/refused … 4%
“Now I am going to read you a current educational choice program available for certain demographics in Oklahoma. After I read the program, please indicate if you would support or oppose the program being expanded to include any of the following demographics. The current program makes private-school scholarships available to special-needs students, foster children, and children adopted out of state custody.”
“Do you support or oppose expanding eligibility to children of incarcerated parents?”
Strongly support … 52%
Somewhat support … 24%
TOTAL SUPPORT … 76%
Somewhat oppose … 10%
Strongly oppose … 10%
TOTAL OPPOSE … 20%
Don’t know/refused … 5%
“Do you support or oppose expanding eligibility to homeless students?”
Strongly support … 65%
Somewhat support … 17%
TOTAL SUPPORT … 82%
Somewhat oppose … 6%
Strongly oppose … 8%
TOTAL OPPOSE … 14%
Don’t know/refused … 4%
“A proposal has been made to create an educational choice program in Oklahoma which provides private-school scholarships to public-school students who are bullied or are victims of violence. Would you support or oppose this proposal?”
Strongly support … 45%
Somewhat support … 19%
TOTAL SUPPORT … 64%
Somewhat oppose … 11%
Strongly oppose … 18%
TOTAL OPPOSE … 29%
Don’t know/refused … 6%
“A proposal has been made to enact an individual tax credit for approved educational expenses. Oklahoma parents could receive a state tax credit of up to $2,500 per child for public-school expenses such as costs for band instruments and uniforms, athletic equipment, and other public-school activities. Or, they could receive the tax credit for costs associated with private school tuition or homeschooling. Would you support or oppose this proposal?”
Strongly support … 42%
Somewhat support … 22%
TOTAL SUPPORT … 64%
Somewhat oppose … 11%
Strongly oppose … 17%
TOTAL OPPOSE … 28%
Don’t know/refused … 8%
This survey is the latest among many over the past five years which have measured Oklahomans’ views on parental choice in education. Here is the other survey research that has shown support for various forms of private-school choice:
Braun Research survey (registered Oklahoma voters), January 2014
Tarrance Group survey (registered Oklahoma GOP primary voters), July 2014
SoonerPoll survey (likely Oklahoma voters), January 2015
Tarrance Group survey (registered Oklahoma voters), January 2015
Cole Hargrave Snodgrass and Associates survey (registered Oklahoma voters), December 2015
SoonerPoll survey (likely Oklahoma voters), January 2016
SoonerPoll survey (likely Oklahoma voters), July 2016
Cor Strategies survey (likely Oklahoma voters), August 2017
Cor Strategies survey (likely Oklahoma voters), May 2018
And here is the survey research showing that Oklahomans oppose school vouchers (the survey didn’t ask about tax credits or education savings accounts):
Public Opinion Strategies survey (likely Oklahoma voters), March 2015
Poll: Voters say Trump has performed better than expected on the economy
This article originally appeared on The Hill
Voters ranked the economy as the top area where President Trump has performed “better than expected,” according to a new Hill-HarrisX poll.
The survey, released on Monday, found that 36 percent of all voters said Trump performed “better than expected” on the economy.
The majority of Trump’s supporters also said his strongest suit was his handling of the economy, with 63 percent saying he has handled it “better than expected.”
The president frequently touts economic growth under his administration, pointing to lower unemployment.
The Labor Department reported earlier this month that the economy added roughly 312,000 jobs in December, while the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9 percent from 3.7 percent.
Among all voters, Trump’s handling of national security at 24 percent, followed by judicial appointments at 22 percent, and foreign policy at 21 percent.
Twenty-three percent of voters said that Trump performed better than expected on policy priorities, such as tax cuts and border security, while 20 percent said the president has performed “better than expected” at running the government.
Trump received much lower numbers on tone and messaging, with only 12 percent saying he performed “better than expected.”
Republican pollster Conor Maguire told Hill.TV’s Jamal Simmons on Monday that Trump has already proved that perceptions of his tone do not matter because he was able to get elected with the same tone.
“On the economy, yes, that’s where I want it to be the best thing. That’s what Trump’s known for,” Maguire, senior client strategist at WPA Intelligence, said on “What America’s Thinking.”
“On the tone side of things, I think that President Trump has already proved that that doesn’t matter,” he continued. “That’s how he got elected.”
The Hill-HarrisX poll contacted a demographically representative sample of 1,000 registered voters, Jan. 25 and 26. The survey has a sampling margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
— Julia Manchester