H.A.’s Jim Banks Gets Grilled By “The Hotline”

As I’ve mentioned in this space before, we love to brag on our own. One person we especially love to brag about is Jim Banks. Recently, Jim was interviewed by National Journal’s “The Hotline”. Is it right to say that we’re plugging this because his interview mentions Hoosier Access? In true political fashion, I say “no comment!” Way to go Jim!

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CONSULTANT CANDIDS: All Hail The Hoosier

Jim Banks is pres. of The Wabash Group, LLC, a full-service public affairs firm dedicated to serving conservative causes and political candidates. Banks began his political career with Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN-08) where he served in several different capacities — manager, press sec., grassroots dir. and fundraising dir. — on Hostettler’s successful re-election campaigns of ‘00 and ‘02. He has also worked for Focus on the Family and Focus on the Family Action as a nat’l grassroots organizer. In the ‘06 election cycle, Banks served as an assoc. to Patrick Davis Consulting, LLC. And today, he is our “Consultant Candid.”

What was your first job?
I was the head hotdog chef at a drive-in root beer stand during the summers in high school in Columbia City, Indiana.

What is your proudest moment professionally?
I’m still looking for that signature victory but to this point my proudest moment was realizing that I could actually make a living doing what I love — helping good people pursue their dreams and good organizations grow their influence.

What one event in a candidate’s past would pose the biggest problem in a campaign?
Getting caught in a lie, big or small, can ruin the trust a candidate has with the voters.

If you could be in any other line of work, what would it be?
Summer golf pro and winter hunting guide.

Negative campaigning — good or bad?
I’ve come a long way on this subject since spending two rounds managing Hostettler races in Indiana’s “Bloody 8th”. Perhaps I’m getting soft, but today I believe that voters are hungry for substance and less political bashing. Nonetheless, negative campaigning is still necessary and effective but the best consultants are the ones you can take the negative out of negative campaigning.

Where is your happy place?
Assembly Hall at Indiana University.

What is your favorite restaurant to meet clients?
South Bend Chocolate Factory on the circle in downtown Indianapolis.

What campaign (past, present or future) would you most like to be a part of?
Jeff Crank for President (candidate for Congress in CO-5) or Amanda Banks (my wife) for Mayor of Columbia City, Indiana, our hometown, population 6,000.

What is the ideal number of clients to have at one time?
7

What firm/individual who does your kind of work for the other party do you respect the most, and why?
Eric Sonderman of SE2 in Denver, Colorado. He is as kind and respectful as any consultant you’ll ever meet and he understands the creative art of communications. He has left a big foot print on Colorado politics and is liked and respected by everyone.

What is the first section of the newspaper you read?
I heard a pastor say once to never read the newspaper sitting down. I follow that advice and only skim the headlines. I receive my news from the Internet in its many forms, most importantly from blogs including one that I help run — www.HoosierAccess.com.

(YES!!! Thanks for the plug Jim!)

If you could only watch one news show, what would it be?
The Colbert Report.

We’re ending this feature with a question posed by the last interviewee. This is from Strother-Duffy-Strother’s Dane Strother: Where is the political consulting business ten years from now?
Bigger and better. Political consulting will be more focused and less “general”. There will be experts who control different technologies and consulting will be driven by who can best utilize those new tools. Hopefully political consulting will be more ethical too. Our industry could use a Better Business Bureau to keep track of dishonest and deceptive consultants.

Pose a question for the next interviewee.
What is your best advice to a new consultant who is starting out in this business?