Case Studies

The full America Rising system was deployed in the NE-02 House race beginning in March 2017. The primary pitted DCCC-backed candidate, former Rep. Brad Ashford, against the progressive and far-left candidate in Kara Eastman. Through tracking, research, and war room monitoring, America Rising’s efforts damaged the DCCC’s preferred candidate, assisting Eastman’s victory, handing the establishment a loss and saddling them with a candidate whose policy positions include single-payer healthcare. Through the general election, America Rising’s research helped develop narratives highlighting the high costs and dangerous consequences of Eastman’s proposals including Medicare for All, free college tuition, and higher taxes. Eastman was equally rattled by our tracking in-state as she attempted to pitch stories that tracking was unnecessary, which only highlighted her unwillingness to make her positions known to voters. By October, national Democrat groups had pulled funding and abandoned Eastman’s candidacy.