Press

A new survey of 1,240 registered voters found 68% of Democrats and 52% of Republicans believe diversity and inclusion should be a priority for companies. The same research, by ROKK Solutions and Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and Center for the Business of Sustainability found an overlap with those who believe that company hiring and promotion practices should be merit-based (71% of Republicans and 65% of Democrats). It’s a debunked narrative that you can’t have one without the other. The talent is out there; it is up to organizations to attract it. 

Finding this kind of synergy starts with building an authentic system that expands your diverse talent pipeline. Read the four-point plan from Managing Director Lindsay Singleton here.

The retirement of liberal Justice Stephen Breyer sets up a battle in the Senate that is almost certain to result in the confirmation of President Biden’s pick to succeed him.

At the same time, there’s likely to be some drama along the way, and many eyes will be on centrist Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who have impeded Biden and frustrated fellow Senate Democrats by blocking key parts of the president’s agenda.

ROKK Co-founding Partner weighs in here.

President Joe Biden knows better than anyone that there’s no such thing as a sure thing when the Senate considers a Supreme Court pick. That should give him an edge now, according to journalist Jonathan Allen. Co-founding Partner Ron Bonjean, who led communications for the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court in 2017, weighs in on the state of the Senate in this article.

When it launched on Jan. 23, 2007, POLITICO promised its readers an “unblinking focus” on covering politics. “We will embrace the way journalism is changing,” an early mission statement read. The subjects of that coverage — the lawmakers and staffers who populated Capitol Hill and the White House — weren’t quite as ready to embrace that change. The view of the upstart publication from inside the halls of power ranged from amazed to appalled to enraged. ROKK Partners Kristen Hawn and Rodell Mollineau share their thoughts in this article.

One year in, there’s a growing sense that the Biden presidency has lost its way. Democratic strategist and ROKK Co-founding Partner Rodell Mollineau comments in this article.

The midterm elections are still more than 9 months away, but Republicans already planning for a majority on Congress. Co-founding Partner Rodell Mollineau comments in this article.

Republican strategist Noelle Nikpour and Democratic strategist and ROKK Partner Kristen Hawn debate public and media perception of Biden’s first year as president. Listen to the conversation here.

Vice President Kamala Harris is undergoing a fresh start in 2022. Since the new year began, Harris has been front and center, alongside President Biden in delivering speeches on the Jan. 6 anniversary of the Capitol insurrection and on voting rights earlier this week in Atlanta. The vice president is also bringing in new aides, particularly on her communications team, as part of the refresh. Founding Partner Rodell Mollineau comments on this fresh approach here.

President Biden is debuting sharper attacks against Republicans, seeking to make the upcoming midterm elections into more of a choice between his party and the GOP.

The strategy has proven difficult for past presidents to successfully execute but is one that Biden’s allies say is vital in order for Democrats to hang on to their narrow majorities in Congress. 

Founding Partner Rodell Mollineau comments on the strategy in this article from The Hill.

As we enter the third pandemic year, the one word that could sum up this phase of the 2022 midterm cycle is uncertainty. Digital ad restrictions, changes to voting laws, online privacy concerns, the direction of the pandemic and its impact on face-to-face campaigning and ad production are hurdles agencies are helping their clients overcome. Sean Miller from Campaigns & Elections asked Genevieve Wilkins, Senior Vice President of Creative at ROKK, to get out her crystal ball and share her predictions for 2022. Read the article here.