July 3, 2006

Two high-profile politicians are looking to the third screen to reach potential voters.

Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., last week teamed with pundit Mary Matalin to launch a text-message campaign touting at a Women For Rick breakfast.

Santorum, who faces a tough re-election bid this fall, recorded the mobile-phone numbers of supporters at a Women For Rick breakfast and later sent text-message thank-you notes to attendees.

The senator also urged constituents to sign up to receive messages touting Santorum’s accomplishments in office.

“This is an exciting and innovative way to further reach out to voters in this campaign,” Santorum said. “Through the use of cell-phone text messaging, we are ensuring that even the busiest of voters have access to information about my record where and when they seek it.”

Former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards unveiled a similar effort this week for supporters of his One America Committee project. Users are encouraged to sign up on the organization’s Web site to receive a welcome message as well as notes from Edwards on the road.

The former North Carolina senator is widely believed to be planning a run for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

While Edwards and Santorum may be the first nationally known politicians to launch text-messaging efforts, grassroots organizations and activist groups have moved aggressively to deploy such campaigns.

The liberal People for the American Way launched a text campaign earlier this year in an unsuccessful effort to block the Supreme Court nomination of Samuel Alito.

Source: RCR News