A political campaign optimization case where the candidate must determine optimal allocation of limited campaign resources (4 event types, 1 per state) across 10 battleground states to secure 270+ electoral votes within 2 weeks. The underlying math involves population calculations, voter turnout modeling, and event efficacy analysis. The case culminates in Question 4 where opponent moves make the client’s victory mathematically impossible, testing whether the candidate can professionally deliver bad news.
Key Insights:
- Strong math structure and paper hygiene are critical—the case involves unwieldy calculations across 10 states with multiple variables
- Structured top-down analysis is essential: identify gap to 270, analyze battleground states by electoral value and undecided voters, match campaign strategies by efficacy
- Professional judgment includes supporting a client’s best interests even with uncomfortable subject matter, and delivering realistic assessments when outcomes become unfavorable
- Asset optimization requires comparing marginal returns: each event has different efficacy (President Rally 50%, VP Rally 30%, TV 20%, Door-to-door 15%), and multiple events on one state only yield highest efficacy
- Candidate must recognize when external factors shift the math to make victory impossible, requiring a strategic pivot to damage mitigation