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    A book by Michael D. Cohen, Ph.D. about how campaigns are organized, the state-of-the-art tools of the trade, and how some of the most interesting people in politics got their big breaks. Published by Rowman & Littlefield.

     

    Second edition in early 2025 with a new chapter on artificial intelligence.

  • ORDER NOW

    If you've ordered the book through any of the booksellers below or directly through Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, we're offering a free signed bookplate as a special thank you. Please send an email with proof of purchase and personalization preferences to this email address.

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    Mark Salter

    Senior Adviser, McCain for president, and Best-Selling Author

    Michael Cohen has written a perceptive, lucid and entertaining account of how political campaigns actually operate, and gives the reader a much more realistic framework for viewing contemporary politics than can be gained from most academic analyses or the conventional wisdom narratives many in the media rely on. Most usefully, he provides an insightful examination of the modern transition from persuasion to turnout strategies in political campaigns, and its impact on the health of our Republic.

  • Media

    Voice of America | Unpacking U.S. Campaign Spending

    Voice of America

    Campaign Fundraising

    Dr. Cohen helps a worldwide audience understand how political campaigns are funded in the United States, and the unique rules around sharing those funds at the end of races. (Video)

    Modern Political Campaigns Book Review Real Clear Politics at Real Clear Policy

    Real Clear Politics

    Book Review

    "[Modern Political Campaigns is an] accessible-yet-enlightening book for aspiring political professionals, but also for any reader who wants to go deeper into the methods used by political experts." (Link)

    The Business of Politics with Eric Wilson and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    The Business of Politics

    Breaking Into the Profession

    Dr. Cohen shares his experience in how the business has evolved and how to join the growing legion of politicos and activists who work in campaigns and public affairs full-time. (Apple | Spotify)

    SiriusXM P.O.T.U.S. The Trendline with Kristen Soltis Anderson and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    SirusXM P.O.T.U.S.

    The Trendline

    Dr. Cohen joins fellow pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson in a wide-ranging discussion about how professionalism, technology, and speed have supercharged political campaigns. (Link)

    Campaigns and Elections and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Campaigns & Elections

    Future of Political Fundraising

    In an exclusive excerpt from the book, Dr. Cohen maps out how political fundraising is evolving and how that will change the future of modern political campaigns all over the world. (Link)

    Pro Politics Podcast with Zac McCrary and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Pro Politics Podcast

    Modern Political Campaigns

    Dr. Cohen chats with fellow pollster Zac McCrary on the changes in the industry over the past 25 years as well as his experience as a political pro, professor, app developer, and author. (Apple | Spotify)

    Meet the Press with Chuck Todd Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Meet the Press

    The Chuck Toddcast

    Dr. Cohen spends a half hour with fellow self-described "campaign nerd" MTP Moderator Chuck Todd on how we got here and the future of modern elections. (Apple | Spotify)

    The Bulwark and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    The Bulwark

    Biden's Falling Approval Rating

    Dr. Cohen puts Biden's recent political slide into historical perspective and looks at ways where he can recover some of his relatively high-flying honeymoon approval numbers. (Link)

    The Hill with Michael Cohen Contributor Modern Political Campaigns

    The Hill

    Virginia Governor's Race

    Dr. Cohen outlines the how Glenn Youngkin's high-tech campaign for Governor of Virginia is outperforming political expectations, the polls, and former governor Terry McAuliffe. (Link)

    Politics Politics Politics Podcast with Justin Robert Young and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Politics, Politics, Politics

    Virginia Gubernatorial Election

    Dr. Cohen live pods the 2021 Virginia election results with fellow political junkie Justin Robert Young and chat how it will impact strategy for the midterm election campaigns and 2024. (Link)

    The Political Life Podcast with Jim O'Brien and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    The Political Life

    Modern Political Campaigns

    Dr. Cohen joins Jim O’Brien of The Political Life Podcast to talk about his new book and how to break into modern political campaigns as a profession and build a career. (Apple | Spotify)

    Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda

    Digital Politics Podcast

    How COVID Changed Campaigns

    In this wide-ranging discussion, Dr. Cohen connects many of the campaign and advocacy activities that are changing as a result of the move to a digital campaign environment. (Apple | Spotify)

    Beyond Politics with Matt Robison and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Beyond Politics

    Moneyball for Campaigns

    Dr. Cohen talks with top former congressional staffer and campaign manager Matt Robison about how candidates can win if they reorient their efforts toward the center. (Apple | Spotify)

    INSIDER and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    INSIDER

    2024 GOP Presidential Power Rankings

    Dr. Cohen helps readers understand the current muddled state of the GOP, the race for the 2024 nomination, and how the ties to former President Donald Trump might change. (Link)

    Fox News and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Fox News

    2024 Pre-Season Presidential Campaign

    Dr. Cohen talks with Fox News Correspondent Mark Meredith about how pre-announcement events like the Faith and Freedom conference are important in framing the GOP primary contest. (Link)

    Sinclair Broadcasting Group and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Sinclair Broadcasting Group

    AAPOR 2020 Polling Report

    Dr. Cohen puts the errors in 2020 public election polling into perspective and outlines how the AAPOR report didn't talk with campaign professionals who got their election calls right. (Link)

    EU Campaign Playbook Clubhouse Discussion and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    EU Campaign Playbook

    International Political Campaigns

    Dr. Cohen joins the Clubhouse room to discuss the differences between U.S. and E.U. political campaigns and his new book, Modern Political Campaigns. Room opens July 7 at noon ET. (Link)

    Social Media and Politics Podcast with Dr. Michael Bossetta and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Social Media and Politics

    Modern Political Campaigns

    Dr. Cohen talks with Dr. Michael Bossetta, Communication Professor at Lund University in Sweden, about the effective use of data and social media in political campaigns. (Apple | Spotify)

    TechTarget Q&A with Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    TechTarget Q&A

    Election Data Revolutionizes Campaigns

    In the book's launch-day interview with Eric Avidon, Dr. Cohen discusses the data revolution in politics and how it has helped campaigns integrate new sources with traditional polling. (Link)

    Policy Influencer Playbook with Cori Henderson and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Policy Influencer Playbook

    Campaign Strategy and Public Affairs

    Dr. Cohen shares a behind the scenes look at digital campaign innovations during the 2020 pandemic and presidential election, and how policy influencers can use them for advocacy. (Apple | Spotify)

    Nexstar TV and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Nexstar TV

    Supreme Court Nixes CA Donor Disclosure

    Dr. Cohen discusses the implications for future political campaigns in the wake of the July 2021 Supreme Court decision to overrule the State of California's charitable contribution disclosure laws. (Link)

    Magħkom (Malta) and Michael Cohen Modern Political Campaigns

    Magħkom (Malta)

    2020 Presidential Campaign

    Dr. Cohen helps an international audience understand what happened in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election and what it means how campaigns are conducted and the future of democracy. (Link)

  • Spotify Playlist

    From Carter to Biden, 40+ Years of Presidential Candidate Walk-Up Songs and Modern Political Campaigns Author Podcast Interviews

  • Author

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    Michael D. Cohen, Ph.D.

    Michael is CEO of Cohen Research Group a leading political, public affairs, and corporate research firm. He publishes the pioneering and award-winning Congress in Your Pocket suite of mobile apps and teaches graduate courses at Johns Hopkins University on communications writing, research methods, digital strategy, political campaigns, and public policy. He is the author of Modern Political Campaigns: How Professionalism, Technology, and Speed Have Revolutionized Elections, published in June 2021 by Rowman & Littlefield. He is a three-time graduate of the University of Florida, where he earned degrees in political science and mass communication and was inducted into its leadership Hall of Fame. Learn more about Dr. Cohen at http://michaelcohen.us.