Brett Smiley is a progressive Democrat running for Mayor of Providence, RI. His campaign has been mentioned here in Top Comments, but no one has yet posted a diary on his campaign.
Last week Brett launched his first 30-second TV spot, "Brett Smiley: Man with a Plan," which immediately received both local and national attention. Reaction to the video below was quick and positive.
From the Rhode Island Small Business Journal:
PROVIDENCE, RI – Last Friday, Brett Smiley’s campaign for Mayor of Providence aired its first television ad, titled “Man with a Plan.” In just one weekend, the ad has gotten enormous attention, gaining over 22,000 views and attracting the attention of national media outlets like the Huffington Post, the Washington Post, the Advocate, the Daily Kos and more.
Here is the video which is creating all the national attention. There is so much packed into 30 seconds that each time I view it I learn something more.
More about Brett Smiley and the Smiley for Mayor campaign below the squiggle.
Brett Smiley began his political career here in Chicagoland as a field expert and campaign manager for local campaigns.
I met Brett Smiley when he broke into the national political scene in 2004. At age 24, Brett became Campaign Manager for Melissa Bean in her successful run against 35-year-Republican incumbent Phil Crane. Locally the Bean campaign became known as "The Little Campaign That Could."
By 2004 I had dabbled in local politics up to the Congressional level for nearly 40 years. Brett Smiley's Bean campaign for Melissa Bean was (and still is) the most organized I had ever seen. Melissa's jelly beans led to Brett's website and email Jelly Bean Jar which led to the first campaign hit in The Hill. Since Phil Crane had been doing nothing other than warming a seat in Washington for 35 years, Brett created "The Phil Crane Seat Warmer" to reward campaign contributors. Not only did contributors love them, but they produced the second Bean hit in The Hill and also notice in 17 major national news markets.
The day after Bean trounced Crane someone posted a sign on the campaign office door - "The Little Campaign That Could DID." National news reported this win as the "House Upset of the Year" and for several cycles the well-organized plan developed by Brett and his Deputy Campaign Manager Brian Herman became THE blueprint for how a pro-choice Democrat could win in a Republican-leaning district.
Brett Smiley moved to Providence as CM for the 2006 Rhode Island Governor campaign. While the campaign was not victorious, the well-orchestrated campaign was there and took a candidate who was down double-digits against a popular incumbent to within 1.5 points of an upset.
Brett's move to Providence was successful in a different way. He gave up the suitcase life of a campaign manager, started a very successful campaign and public relations consulting business, found the love of his life, got married and settled down.
Brett continued his service to his community as the Chair of the Providence Water Supply Board and continues to be active in support of local and national progressive causes. You can read his full biography here.
So back to current times... While proposing marriage via PowerPoint may be a bit of a stretch (although those of us who know him could believe it) Brett Smiley truly is "The Man with a Plan."
by Bob Kerr in the Providence Journal:
Bob Kerr: A campaign ad that makes you smile? I endorse this message
In a year of dreary, sometimes stupid political ads, Smiley has broken through with a piece of work that plays like a splash of cool water on our overwrought selves...
He is a man having some fun with his own life. It’s an amazing concept.
by Aaron Blake in The Washington Post:
A really good ad in which a politician talks about proposing to his husband (Video)
This ad, from Providence, R.I., mayoral candidate Brett Smiley, is one of the most unique we've seen in recent years.
from the Huffington Post:
Mayoral Candidate Casts Himself As Character In Wes Anderson-Style Political Ad
Might as well call him the Fantastic Mr. Smiley.
Providence Mayoral Candidate, Brett Smiley, Features Husband in Campaign Ad
What makes Smiley’s run so newsworthy is, frankly, his almost non-newsworthy new ad campaign. It fits in with a growing trend of LGBT politicians telling personal stories, along with family members, as part of their campaign pitch – just like straight politicians.
Brett Smiley is a truly progressive candidate deserving of your support.
Send him some love here if you can.