Leading media firm helps elect Wes Moore as Maryland’s first Black Governor, as well as reelecting Senator Mark Kelly in Arizona, Governor Laura Kelly in Kansas, and Governor Ned Lamont in Connecticut
Washington, DC – SKDK, the leading Democratic media and political consulting firm, served as ad-makers and strategists for many of the most successful candidates in targeted Senate, gubernatorial, Congressional, and down ballot races across the country. The firm also produced critical ballot measures on adult-use cannabis (MD Question 4), early voting (CT Question 1), and the indigent tax levy (Hamilton County, OH Issue 8). SKDK produced over 600 TV, OTT, radio, streaming audio, OOH, and print ads this cycle to secure key wins including Governor-elect Wes Moore of Maryland, Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, Governor Laura Kelly of Kansas, and Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut.
“Our candidates defied the odds and made history this past Tuesday in the midterms. We are incredibly proud to have supported so many successful – and strong – Democratic campaigns across the ballot, on the issues voters care most about, like lowering prescription drug costs, defending reproductive rights, supporting economic initiatives, improving education, making communities safer, and committing to making sure nobody is left behind,” said SKDK Partner and incoming CEO Doug Thornell. “SKDK served as strategists and ad-makers to tell these important stories and win in ways that buck historical midterm trends for the party in power.”
In Maryland, SKDK was proud to produce TV and digital ads for Wes Moore and Aruna Miller’s historic, high-energy grassroots campaign to become the first Black Governor and first woman of color Lieutenant Governor in the state, respectively. For Senator Mark Kelly’s reelection in Arizona, SKDK produced over 50 ads alone to beat back a flood of Republican spending and secure victory in this majority-making seat. In red Kansas, SKDK served as lead ad-makers and strategists for Governor Laura Kelly, the only top-ticket Democrat to win in a state won by Donald Trump in ‘16 and ‘20. In Connecticut, the firm served as ad-makers and strategists for Governor Ned Lamont, who defeated a well-funded opponent and nearly set a new record for gubernatorial votes in the state, and Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz.
In the House of Representatives, SKDK was proud to be part of the campaign teams that helped reelect Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01), Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Rep. Joe Morelle (NY-25), Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Rep. Brian Higgins (NY-27), Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11), Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Rep. Troy Carter (LA-02); and elect new members Glenn Ivey (MD-04) and Jill Tokuda (HI-02).
In down-ballot races in Connecticut, SKDK helped successfully win elections for Erick Russell for state Treasurer, becoming the first Black LGBTQ+ statewide elected official in the country, and Sean Scanlon to serve as the state’s Comptroller. In Massachusetts, we helped secure Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin’s unprecedented eighth term. We still await final results for Kris Mayes, running for Attorney General in Arizona.
In the Senate, SKDK was proud to partner with the Senate Majority PAC to produce digital ads for New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan and Washington Senator Patty Murray’s successful reelection and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) to advance Senator Raphael Warnock to a run-off in December. Additionally, SKDK worked with Democratic Attorney General Association (DAGA) to help re-elect Dana Nessel in Michigan and the Giffords PAC to fend off Republican candidates in Colorado and Pennsylvania.
SKDK also served as the lead media consultant for the NAACP’s effort to turn out Black voters in key states across the country, and for Climate Power and the League of Conservation Voters’ “Climate Votes” program – a targeted digital campaign targeting young voters and people of color in key states and districts.
Notably, SKDK also worked on a number of critical ballot measures this cycle – leading the digital admaking and media relations efforts for the “Yes on 4” campaign to legalize adult-use cannabis in Maryland and the amendment to allow for a system of early voting in Connecticut’s state constitution. In Hamilton County, OH, SKDK helped pass the health and hospitalization ballot initiative to fund critical healthcare services for uninsured, underinsured, and incarcerated Ohioans.
About SKDK
SKDK is the nation’s leading Democratic advertising and strategic communications firm bringing unparalleled experience from our experience on seven presidential campaigns, helping elect hundreds of members of Congress, senators, mayors, governors, and local elected officials.
In 2020, members of SKDK served as key advisers to the Biden for President campaign and helped to make history by electing Joe Biden as President of The United States and Kamala Harris, the nation’s first Black, Asian-American and woman, as Vice President. SKDK has won the Holmes Report’s influential North America Public Affairs Agency of the Year multiple times and was recently the recipient of six American Association of Political Consultant’s Pollie Awards in 2022.
To learn more about SKDK, visit our website at www.skdknick.com.
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