Victories also include gun control initiatives in Nevada and Washington
SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK), one of the top political consulting and communications firms in the country, produced winning television, digital advertising and direct mail that helped secure victory in 13 House races – including six incumbents in a tough cycle – Democrat Maggie Hassan in the New Hampshire Senate race, and various female members of the California State Assembly. SKDK’s candidates represent many new and diverse Democratic elected officials, including five new Democratic House seats, three new members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the first ever Vietnamese-American woman elected to Congress. SKDK also successfully helped seven female Congressional candidates from across the country win, including Senator-elect Hassan.
Beyond supporting candidates, SKDK produced winning television ads that resulted in passage of Question 1 in Nevada, which requires background checks on all gun sales including those that take place online or at gun shows, and in Washington State, which allows families and law enforcement to go to court to temporarily suspend a person’s access to a firearm if they are deemed a threat to themselves or others.
SKDK is proud to congratulate all of the winning Democratic candidates and their hardworking staffers across the country for their victories during a challenging electoral season, and wish them the best in the upcoming term.
Winning Democratic Candidates
- New Jersey’s 5th Congressional District: Democrat Josh Gottheimer defeated incumbent Representative Scott Garrett, blocking Garrett from a seventh term. The win was one of the six pickups Democrats had in the House.
- California’s 44th Congressional District: Democrat Nanette Diaz Barragán beat State Senator Isadore Hall in a win that shocked the political establishment in the state. Diaz Barragán will be the first Hispanic to represent her district, the only new Latina representative in the House, and one of eight new Hispanic Democratic lawmakers.
- Senate Majority PAC – U.S. Senate, New Hampshire: Democrat Maggie Hassan defeated incumbent Senator Kelly Ayotte, marking one of two pickup seats for Senate Democrats. SKDK made ads for this race on behalf of Senate Majority PAC and other Independent Expenditures, including Planned Parenthood, IUSA, Women Vote, AFSCME, Vote Vets, SEIU, NEA and Sierra Club.
- Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Independent Expenditure – California’s 24th Congressional District: Democrat Salud Carbajal defeated Republican and former Congressional staffer Justin Fareed. Carbajal will be the first Latino to represent the Central Coast in Congress and one of eight new Hispanic Democratic lawmakers.
- House Majority PAC – Florida’s 7th Congressional District: Democrat Stephanie Murphy defeated 23-year incumbent Representative John Mica, making her the first ever Vietnamese-American woman elected to Congress. This win also marks another pickup seat in the House for the Democrats.
- House Majority PAC – Florida’s 13th Congressional District: Democrat Charlie Crist defeated incumbent Representative David Jolly. The victory marks another flipped seat in the House for the Democrats.
- Environment Defense Action Fund – Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District: Democrat Jacky Rosen narrowly defeated Republican Danny Tarkanian. This win represents another seat picked up in the House for Democrats.
- Environment Defense Action Fund – Nevada’s 4th Congressional District: Democrat Ruben Kihuen defeated incumbent Representative Cresent Hardy. Kihuen will be the first Latino to represent Nevada in the House and one of eight new Hispanic Democratic lawmakers.
- Women In Power PAC – California State Assembly: The Women in Power PAC (WIP PAC) is a California PAC that supports Democratic women statewide. This year, WIP PAC ran their first-ever independent expenditures and were successful in doubling the number of Latina women serving in the California State Assembly.
House Incumbents Defended
- Grace Napolitano – California’s 32nd Congressional District
- Linda Sánchez – California’s 38th Congressional District
- Bill Foster – Illinois’ 11th Congressional District
- John Delaney – Maryland’s 6th Congressional District
- Kathleen Rice – New York’s 4th Congressional District
- Sean Patrick Maloney – New York’s 18th Congressional District
About SKDKnickerbocker
SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK) is one of the top communications and political consulting firms in the country and brings unparalleled strategic communications experience to Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, and labor unions as well as political committees and candidates. With offices in Washington, New York, Los Angeles and Albany, SKDK offers strategic support on how to manage a crisis, protect a brand, advocate an issue or win an election. In 2016, SKDK was named Global Public Affairs Agency of the Year by the influential Holmes Report, following consecutive wins for SKDK as North America Public Affairs Agency of both 2015 and 2016. To learn more about SKDK, visit our website at www.skdknick.com.