Q&A with Phyllis Shelton

A standard feature of AViewfromDC will be a Q&A section on a variety of topics of importance to members of the housing and community development community. This week’s interview is with Phyllis Shelton. Phyllis is CEO of iPower Global Solutions. IGS is committed to empowering professionals and small business owners for success by mixing non-traditional venues, dynamic leaders and socially interactive activities in productive, yet relaxing environments. IGS insures companies succeed by implementing creative solutions through events, public relations and self empowerment opportunities. She has worked on 22 campaigns 21 of which have resulted in a victory for the candidate. Two of her more prominent clients were for New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins (the first African American Mayor in NY) and former first Lady and current Senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton. She has received numerous awards for her and is a highly sought after political operative in New York City.

In this interview she discusses how to present your issues to a candidate running for office.

What must our audience do to meet with a candidate seeking elected office?

To see a candidate in a campaign you need to know someone or be considered fairly important so the candidate feels he/she must meet with you and address your issue of concern. Campaigns usually don’t respond to letters, they get inundated with a lot of letters. Also, the campaign staff, particularly the campaign manager, deputy campaign manager and secretary, tries to control the control everything that takes place with the candidate. You have to be someone of significant to get a meeting with the candidate. That means you have a large voting block or be an influential member of the community to be seen and heard. John Doe doesn’t have a chance to be seen. Phones are better entrees if you are a recognizable person or organization.

Does it make sense to hold an event, such as a town hall meeting, and invite the candidate to discuss issues?

Town hall meetings can work but it depends on the community and the environment. The higher the office sought, the less likely you will have the candidate attend. For example, you are more likely to have the candidate running for a local office like mayor attend a town hall meeting versus a person running for Congress or the President. In some cases, if you can guarantee a large, fairly receptive audience, of 200-300 participants, you might be successful in securing a visit from the candidate or a substitute. Oftentimes the invitation is declined due to “scheduling conflicts”. The candidate not attending happens all the time, the fall out is people develop a low level of expectation from their elected officials and may not vote. A substitute is more than enough if you want to hear where the candidate stands.

What type of event works best in getting the candidate to attend?

It is better to hold smaller events. In New York we hold coffee clutches where we invite a small group of people to meet with the candidate over coffee and pastries. If you can get a group up to approximately 50-60 influential people in your field, you can get the candidate to attend of a high-level surrogate who can be the entrée to a meeting with the candidate. For housing and community development professionals, these individuals may include the agency board members, the mayor, city or county council representatives, business owners, landlords and residents.

What should guide a voter’s thinking during this election season?

It is critical to look at the issues which are important to you when considering a candidate. When looking at those issues pick the candidate who will best address those issues regardless of political affiliation. There are good Republicans and bad Democrats and vice versa but there needs to be watchdogs in both parties to ensure certain issues are addressed. If a person votes simply on party affiliation, where are the checks and balances? Many people vote simply on emotion and that could be counterproductive to the issues of concern to the voter.

Posted in: candidate,clinton,community,consultant,election,hall,hillary,mayor,political,town