Now, Republicans nationwide can identify approachable voters inside what had previously been seen as Democratic territory, then deliver appeals to them on issues that cut across party lines.
The system's real power develops when complex algorithms are used to rate how likely individuals are to vote for particular Republican candidates.
Bruised by the power of the GOP system in 2004, Ickes commissioned a study in early 2005 that concluded: "The Republicans are light-years ahead of us. This is not rocket science, and we Democrats will get our clocks cleaned if we don't catch up."
A year later, Ickes launched his own effort to develop such resources with a new coalition of labor and activist groups. His $9-million project, active in two dozen states, is taking a leading role in making micro-targeting and other advanced technology available to Democrats.
Even combining this effort with that of the DNC, Democratic strategists lament that their party remains behind the GOP.
Looking at the technology available to Democrats in Michigan, where the party is at its most advanced, a Democratic coalition strategist said ruefully, "We can't do snowmobilers."
The snowmobiler appeal was developed by state GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis. Michigan has a higher proportion of snowmobilers than any other state. Anuzis says the "extreme environmental views" of Stabenow and incumbent Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm have hindered development and use of snowmobile trails.
Anuzis says that created an opening to reach out to snowmobile users -- many of whom belong to demographic groups often considered Democratic.
Similarly, Michigan Republicans have sent messages to African American households in predominantly Democratic inner-city Detroit extolling education plans that give parents more choice.
In the hottest congressional race in Minnesota, where the DNC and the Ickes group have developed micro-targeting capabilities, Democratic candidate Patty Wetterling has not yet begun using the technology but expects to start soon.
The campaign manager for Republican Michele Bachmann says the GOP system has proved to be "a critical asset." Using Voter Vault's ability to track voter preferences on hot issues, Bachmann's campaign even identified households where one family member opposed abortion and the others did not. The campaign tailored different messages to different members of those households.
In GOP-dominant Tennessee, where Democrat Harold E. Ford Jr. is running even with the Republican candidate to succeed retiring Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Ford's campaign obtained voter data files months ago from the DNC.
But the campaign had to hire its own consultants to develop the computer models necessary to use that data, while the Republican candidate enjoyed access to the full Voter Vault system that has been massaged and updated for years -- a potentially crucial difference in a race that is expected to be decided by the ground operations in the final days.
Surveying the Democrats' effort to close the technology gap, veteran strategist Brazile insists her party is making gains. "Unfortunately," she said, "it's late and last-minute. We're still perfecting drive-by campaigning."
tom.hamburger@latimes.com
peter.wallsten@latimes.com
