Because the politics of yesterday just won't work today

About Us

 

About SMR Strategies

Many consulting firms that organize local campaigns here in Michigan are based in major cities like Chicago or Washington, D.C. These firms brag about having run hundreds of campaigns while taking on dozens of clients at a time. Clients become a number to these firms and are lucky to have their calls returned or needs met in a timely fashion—but we're not like this.

We are an East Lansing, Michigan based business that has one goal: to elect stellar candidates and support progressive issues to better our great state. By assisting progressives, liberals, and Democrats throughout Michigan, we know that our work will only improve the political, social, and economic landscape here in the Great Lakes state. We look at the needs of every campaign individually and make suggestions based on what we see on the ground.

Because we are a locally run firm, we are there for you when you have questions, need instant advice, would like to meet, or simply need to talk. We don’t take on dozens of clients at a time because we want to be able to focus on your needs. We don't export our work out to organizers we have never met before and just hope that everything works out. We will never give you a cookie cutter campaign. Each issue and candidate deserves the attention and focus necessary to get the job done and meet your expectations. We will work hard and give you our best advice and the tools you need to win. And finally, we are able to offer our services at prices that are affordable with any budgets.

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About Steve Ross

While working in the Obama White house in summer of 2009 and receiving support from friends and colleagues, Steve Ross decided to follow his dream and start his own political consulting firm. Upon his return from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Steve immediately began working with multiple candidates for state and municipal campaigns. SMR Strategies was born.

Steve’s political activism began in the fall of 2004 while making phone calls and knocking on doors on behalf of John Kerry’s Presidential run. Though the outcome of the election was disappointing, Steve felt a spark to continue his activism. He could not wait to get back on the trail in the upcoming 2006 midterm elections. Shortly after, Steve began working for Senator Stabenow’s campaign in Lansing, while also campaigning for Governor Jennifer Granholm and the No on Proposal 2 issue campaign.

Following a chance encounter with (then) Senator Obama in Detroit, Steve decided that he was going to do everything in his power to see Obama elected the next president of the United States. Steve was one of the first organizers in a nationwide grassroots effort to convince Obama to run for President called Students for Barack Obama (SFBO). While with SFBO, Steve worked to organize students to lobby Obama to run and upon his official announcement, Steve organized MSU’s campus for the Obama Campaign.

Due to Steve’s massive successes, he was eventually promoted to State of Michigan Director of SFBO and later to Midwest Regional Coordinator of SFBO where he organized the Youth Outreach Program in six states across the U.S. during the primary campaign.

While organizing for Obama, Steve was working hard in the Executive Office of Governor Jennifer Granholm and serving as Young People For Fellow where he received professional training in grassroots organizing and coalition building.

Following graduation from Michigan State University with a Political Science degree, Steve was hired as a full time staffer with the Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change in Michigan. In Steve’s turf, over 10,400 voters were registered, 95% of targeted supporters turned out to vote, and the precincts saw a 29.8% increase in voters over previous elections.

Following the successes of the Obama Campaign, Steve worked on the Cockrel for Detroit mayoral campaign. Most recently, Steve worked with Energy Action Coalition to plan the first ever Power Shift Michigan Summit. The summit brought over 315 young people to Lansing for a weekend summit to promote green jobs, clean energy legislation, and action training.