The Uber message not only is aimed at urban millennials who have
come to embrace the cab alternative, it's a way to fight the
Democrats in the President's own backyard. The GOP's summer meeting
kicked off today in Chicago, Barack Obama's hometown, and where
Uber itself has taken on Governor Pat Quinn. Mr. Quinn is running
for re-election in a tight race against Republican Bruce
Rauner.
Uber's mobile app connects riders with company-vetted drivers
nearby and often costs less than a cab. The company has been
targeted by politicians at local and state levels for skirting
decades of rules and restrictions put in place to regulate the
traditional cab industry.
In July the company asked its own customers to sign a petition asking Mr. Quinn to
veto a bill that would expanding licensing and insurance
requirements applying to taxi drivers to drivers affiliated with
car-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft. The bill awaits the
governor's signature.
"The issue is larger than Uber," stated GOP Chairman Reince
Priebus in party talking points sent to Ad Age. "How many
companies, how many products, how many innovations have died
prematurely because the government over-reached and interfered in
the free market?"
We can expect to see more of the same messaging from the GOP
chair according to GOP Spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski who pointed to
the Illinois gubernatorial battle as key to the party's decision to
throw down the ride-sharing gauntlet.
"Uber already operates in Chicago, but Uber is the target of new
legislation sitting on Quinn's desk that would protect the old,
outdated cab system and make doing business more difficult -- and
expensive -- for Uber and their customers," noted Ms. Kukowski in
her email.
Petitions posted on campaign sites, disseminated in emails and
linked on Facebook and Twitter are used ubiquitously by political
organizations to collect names, email addresses and other
information from potential voters. The emails enable follow-up
messages begging for donations. And, possibly more important, the
cause-based petitions allow parties and groups to link specific
voters to specific issues, allowing them to customize email
communications and door-to-door interactions with volunteers.
Of course, this isn't just about the Illinois race. The GOP
hopes the Uber issue and the broader pro-innovation message
resonates with young urban millennials, a voter demographic that
typically supports Democrats, but is expected to
sit out this year's midterm elections.
"I think it's a way to broaden their appeal in a way that you're
not just talking to the conservative base," said Patrick Ruffini,
co-founder of political research and analytics firm Echelon
Insights and former RNC eCampaign director from 2005 to 2007.
"We're talking about young professionals in urban areas who are
users of [Uber] who might not be traditionally inclined to support
Republican candidates…but might be open to a messages about
government regulation based on something that they experience every
day that might get taken away."
Mr. Rubio visited Uber's Washington offices in March to
highlight the company's regulatory woes, then
discussed his visit on CNBC, describing Uber as "a car service
company which is not being allowed to enter many markets in Florida
simply because the established taxi cabs and the established
transportation companies don't want the competition. That was never
the reason for regulation."
In a July Reuters
opinion piece titled, "How Uber Can Help the GOP Gain Control
of the Cities," influential tax fighter Grover Norquist argued that
"many of these innovative new businesses were birthed in
California's Bay Area, a Democratic stronghold. They are favorites
of city dwellers, which means most of the leading Democratic
constituencies -- including educated professionals, gays,
minorities, single women and working mothers. This puts Democratic
politicians in an awkward position because influential stakeholders
like taxi commissions and their unions worry about competition from
these innovators."
