What Exactly is a Political Consultant?

A political consultant is a management consultant who works on political figures' campaigns. They are similar to advertising executives in that they market the idea of a candidate rather than a physical product or service. Although these consultants exist internationally, a sizable business in the United States has developed around political consulting.

Fremont, CA: Political consultancy is standard in the American political scene. Early political advisors, such as President McKinley's close associate Mark Hanna, functioned similarly to modern consultants. Whitaker and Baker founded Campaigns, Inc. in the 1930s, focusing solely on political campaigns in their marketing activities. With the introduction of effective television campaigns in the 1960s, the movement of political consultants expanded enormously, and persons like Joseph Napolitan began actively defining themselves with this word.

With the ongoing rise of media in political campaigns and the growing importance of message control and spin in campaign management, political consulting is becoming an increasingly significant aspect of campaign management. From the most basic city council campaign to Presidential elections, almost all political movements hire at least one political consultant, and more extensive campaigns may employ dozens. Although it is apparent that consultants are an essential component of modern campaigns, many people criticize the function, particularly as it becomes more visible to the public.

Traditionally, the political consultant was mainly in charge of simple marketing parts of a campaign, such as ad purchasing and creation. However, as campaigns have gotten more focused in recent years, they will likely be actively involved in drafting the campaign's theme. They will deliver speeches, and the candidate will most likely be drilled on talking points to meet any queries during non-scripted events. The consultant may manage bearing, set dressings, and even clothes and assess how every minute detail will affect a candidate's public opinion.

One of the most severe charges about political consulting is that many consultants regard themselves as personal celebrities, putting their clients' demands second to their own. This is especially true as 24-hour news networks have expanded and required political specialists. Because a political consultant is an obvious choice for the commentator role, many consultants wind up holding employment commenting on politics, which critics argue impedes their capacity to eventually serve their candidates. This may also be observed in the growth of book deals for political consultants, where candidate secrets may be leaked to boost book sales.

Another significant criticism is that political consultants are invested in a specific form of partisan politics in which they thrive. This motivates them to push negative campaigns with predetermined intentions. People claim that the dynamic hinders public engagement, and detractors describe the system as political elites dictating policy for a whole party.