BSG Congratulates Danilo Medina on his Victory in the Dominican Republic Presidential Election
July 2, 2012
Washington, D.C. July 2, 2012 - The Benenson Strategy Group (BSG) congratulates its clients, Danilo Medina and Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, on their election as President and Vice President of the Dominican Republic. Medina won a closely contested presidential election in late May that allowed him to claim victory over chief rival, Hipolito Mejia, twelve years after running for president against Mejia in 2000, a battle Mejia won. Medina came back from trailing by double-digits in early polls to win by a 51%-47% margin.
Medina, a 60-year-old economist and leader of the Dominican Liberation Party, will succeed President Leonel Fernandez in August. Fernandez served as the Dominican Republic president from 2004 to 2012 and is barred by the Constitution from running again for a third consecutive term.
President Medina said, "My goal was to conduct a campaign that would make us all proud and, at the same time, would serve the Dominican people as a way to crystallize their dreams and hopes. I must recognize that my success would not have been possible without the polling and strategy developed by the great team at BSG. Their in-depth analysis and recommendations played a pivotal role in implementing key steps that allowed us to come from behind and win the Presidency of the Republic. BSG's work was invaluable to the success of the campaign."
Pete Brodnitz , a firm Principal, and Mike Gehrke, a Vice President at the firm, both based in the BSG’s Washington DC office, led the firm’s work on the Medina campaign. BSG also appreciates the partnership of Giancarlo Sopo of Opina, who provided valuable consulting on the political climate, communications and media relations in the Dominican Republic.
"Danilo Medina ran on a platform of uniting the Dominican Republic through 'the best change' and 'safe change,' building on his goal of ending social injustice and putting the Dominican people on a smooth road toward progress and well-being," said Pete Brodnitz. "His victory is a sign that voters wanted continued stability and growth."
About Benenson Strategy Group
Founded in 2000, BSG is known for its creative approach, aggressive analysis and ability to uncover the hidden architecture of public opinion. We help our clients succeed by tapping into strongly held values and helping position them in ways that resonate intensely with target audiences. The lead pollster for President Barack Obama's national campaigns, the firm's political clients include five U.S. Senators, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. BSG has guided many Fortune 500 companies and leading advocacy groups through critical strategic and communication challenges including Toyota, ESPN, Hertz, The Campbell Soup Company, AARP, the NFL, the League of Conservation Voters, Project New West, SEIU, and Third Way. BSG has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Denver. .
Pete Brodnitz, of BSG's Washington, DC office is a Principal and leads BSG's international political practice. His work includes conducting strategic research for nine heads of State and Government outside of the United States. In 2007, the American Association of Political Consultants named Mr. Brodnitz "Pollster of the Year” - the top honor in the political polling profession recognizing success and innovation in U.S. campaigns. Mr. Brodnitz has helped candidates win their top office in Colombia, the Philippines, Nigeria and he has also worked in the United Kingdom, Croatia, Romania, Suriname, Indonesia, and Jamaica. Prior to joining BSG, Mr. Brodnitz’s work included polling for the Clinton White House, the Gore campaign for President, and Hillary Clinton’s campaign for U.S. Senate.
