Yesterday in the House, both parties welcomed the re-election of Barack Obama. An incumbent leader has been returned to the White House. Incumbency is of course a massive factor in US politics – an incumbent has been unseated only a handful of times in history.
The reason for this is clear. For all the bumps and knocks you get along the way as a government, getting your message out is much easier when you’re already standing on the podium. For the four years of his first term, Obama’s grassroots and digital campaigns never ceased.
It’s an important lesson for UK politics. This week, as we enter the second half of this parliament, there won’t be any fireworks to mark the midterm. Yet on the ground, the campaign has already begun. This time it isn’t about gaining political capital – it’s about real lives and real people.
As the Obama campaign demonstrates, it’s not about a rush to the finish, but a steady and determined campaign that demonstrates what we’ve been doing in government to get this country back on her feet – and our messages must be crystal clear.
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