Craig Alan Huey (born June 16, 1950) is a business owner, marketing expert, author, and former Republican party candidate who owns two direct marketing companies as well as several websites that provide guidelines for voting. [1]
Considered an expert in direct response and digital marketing, Huey has helped turn several companies into multimillion dollar corporations with advanced data targeting and integrated marketing. Many of his clients are in the alternative health and investment newsletter fields. Huey has also helped clients raise significant capital through equity crowdfunding marketing under the JOBS Act.
Huey is the author of 23 Equity Crowdfunding Secrets, [2] The Deep State: 15 Surprising Dangers You Should Know [3] and the e-book 17 Special Advertising Insights for Marketing to Seniors. He is also a frequent guest on TV, including Fox News, and the radio, speaking as a small business expert. Huey is the president of JudgeVoterGuide.com[4], CraigHuey.com[5], and ElectionForum.Org. [6]
Huey is the publisher of Direct Marketing Update, an industry newsletter that educates readers about marketing strategies that help them generate new leads and increase profits through integrated marketing, including direct mail and digital marketing.
Craig Huey | |
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Born | Craig Alan Huey
June 16, 1950 (age 68)[1] Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Citizenship | United States |
Education | B.A., political science |
Alma mater | California State University, Long Beach[3] |
Occupation(s) | Businessman, Direct marketing |
Years active | 1972 – present. |
Organization(s) | Creative Direct Marketing Group, Inc., founder and CEO |
Political party | Republican |
Awards | Best of Show, Web Marketing Assn (2011) |
Website | Craig Huey for Restoring the American Dream |
Early life and education
editHuey grew up in Hawthorne, California, and graduated from El Segundo High School.[5] He attended California State University, Long Beach, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with minors in history and economics. [7]
Business career
editHuey became wealthy running direct marketing firms.[6][7] He was said to be an expert in direct mail marketing in the 1990s,[8] later gaining expertise and recognition for his internet marketing. He is president of Creative Direct Marketing Group of Torrance and InfoMat.[3]
After college, Huey began work at InfoMat, a mailing list-market segmentation company, and became the owner and president of the company three years later. In 1984, he founded Creative Direct Marketing Group, Inc. (CDMG), a firm that provides direct mail, direct marketing websites, direct response television, infomercials, radio commercials and web-based marketing services. CDMG's client list of more than 200 companies includes many large corporations.[13] Huey pioneered the magalog, created a proprietary direct marketing system and developed the internet landing page as a tool for marketers. He has been recognized for his effective use of viral marketing and list segmentation.[14] His agencies have received 87 marketing awards;[15].
Publishing and public speaking activities
editIn 1977, Huey launched the industry newsletter Direct Response and in 2001, the Direct Marketing Update e-zine. Articles by and about Huey have appeared in Inc., USA Today, Target Marketing, Christianity Today and Adweek.[17][18][19] He has given numerous speeches at the national Direct Marketing Association (DMA) annual meeting:[21] as well as for DMA affiliates and other organizations listed in his company profile. He has also spoken at the FreedomFest World Economic Summit in Nassau, Bahamas.[22]
Mobilization
editHuey has founded three voter information and political discussion websites: JudgeVoterGuide.com, CraigHuey.com, and ElectionForum.org. JudgeVoterGuide.com educates Conservative and Christian voters on how to vote for judges that share their value systems. CraigHuey.com is a Conservative news site, sending weekly email newsletters to over 38,000 subscribers on topics such as the current political climate, the free market, the Deep State, and more. ElectionForum.org is a site that provides weekly news and current events from a Biblical perspective to over 47,000 subscribers. ElectionForum.org frequently shares political news as well as updates about the worldwide persecuted church.
Huey’s book on equity crowdfunding marketing, 23 Equity Crowdfunding Secrets, is the first of its kind on the market, offering specific marketing strategies for entrepreneurs or business owners hoping to raise capital under the JOBS Act.
Huey’s book on the Deep State, The Deep State: 15 Surprising Dangers You Should Know, is a 262-page expose of corruption and ideological influence in government, media, non-profits, large corporations, and more. The book relies on an extensive body of research that undergirds its claims about bureaucratic inefficiencies, corruption in intelligence agencies, voter fraud, and more.
Huey has also appeared on Los Angeles' Fox 11 News as a political analyst, [24] and has been a frequent guest on nationally syndicated TV, internet, and radio programs for the LA market and Internet syndication.[25][26][27][28]
Locally, he has served on committees, including as chairman (a rotating chairmanship) of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Measure P Parcel Tax Committee[29] and as president of Peninsula Residents for a Better Community. His op-eds have been published in the South Bay weekly newspaper, The Daily Breeze.[30][31]
Campaign for Congress 2011
editFurther information: California's 36th congressional district special election, 2011
Huey ran for election to the United States House of Representatives in California's 36th congressional district and edged out Democratic Secretary of State Debra Bowen to finish second in the jungle primary, (an election in which all candidates run in the same primary regardless of political party). The election went to a runoff, which was decided on July 12, 2011, when Democrat Janice Hahn defeated Huey with 54.6 percent of the vote to his 45.4 percent. Hahn will serve out the remainder of Democrat Jane Harman's term in the House.
Political positions
editLA Weekly credits Huey with having a "red meat message that Republican voters wanted to hear." He believes the deficit, taxes and regulations on businesses must be cut, and that these cuts will give business owners the incentive to create and bring back jobs. He supports a constitutional amendment that will require Congress to balance the federal budget each year. He says he will oppose pork barrel spending that rewards special interests and will work to defeat wasteful programs. He is opposed to California's anti-global warming law, (AB 32), and believes that the health care law passed under Obama is unconstitutional and that it will destroy businesses. He also supports term limits for Congress. He has said he will not moderate his positions for the general election and that radical changes are needed.
Primary election
editHuey faced 16 candidates in California's first "top two" primary, a new voter-approved open primary for California federal elections in which candidates for all parties appear on the same ballot, and voters—regardless of their registration—can choose candidates from any party.[33][34] If no candidate receives 50 percent or more of the votes, a run-off election is held 60 days later between the two top vote-getters.[33][nb 1]
With so many contenders, it was expected that the election would go to a run off as no single candidate would likely receive a majority of the votes.[35] Because the district has been strongly Democratic in previous elections, with Democratic voter registrations exceeding Republican registrations by 45% to 27.5%, conventional wisdom held that the two Democrats, Hahn and California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, would compete in the general election.[34][35] Media coverage had also centered on the two Democrats, ignoring Republican candidates, including Huey.[6] Huey then beat Bowen for second place by more than 750 votes, scoring something of an upset.[34] Huey attributed his strong performance in the primary to the message he directed at independents, Democrats and Republicans who are dissatisfied with the economy.[33] The $500,000 that Huey invested in his own campaign and the direct mail advertising he sent to district homes in the conservative South Bay area also contributed to his victory, according to local sources.[6][36] He was endorsed in the primary by local business leaders, California GOP congressmen Dana Rohrabacher, Ed Royce and Tom McClintock, and Indiana congressman Mike Pence.[37]
Huey ran for election to the United States House of Representatives in California's 36th congressional district and edged out Democratic Secretary of State Debra Bowen to finish second in the jungle primary, (an election in which all candidates run in the same primary regardless of political party). The election went to a runoff, which was decided on July 12, 2011, when Democrat Janice Hahn defeated Huey with 54.6 percent of the vote to his 45.4 percent.
Los Angeles Times called the campaign a “test run” for Organizing For Action, the nonprofit that advocates for Obama’s political campaign.
According to a Democratic official, Organizing for America's California operation organized 41 phone banks during the get-out-the-vote phase, 33 of which were run by volunteers. All told, the official estimates, volunteers worked 1,509 hours making calls on Hahn's behalf. On election day, 394 people signed up through the group to work on phone bank and canvass events.
In a low-turnout race in a district suffering voter fatigue, that effort was crucial, the Hahn campaign said.
"They have such a vast grass-roots network of volunteers all across the state, so it was incredibly helpful to have their assistance in not only identifying our voters early on, but getting out the vote," said Dave Jacobson, Hahn's campaign manager.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the California Democratic Party also assisted Hahn's campaign, making nearly 410,000 live voter calls along with organizing group in the last 20 days of the campaign.
Following his primary victory, Huey pledged to spend $800,000 toward his general election expenses.[5] He was hailed as a conservative hero according to LA Weekly, and said of his opponent "She won't know what's gonna hit her".[7]
Personal Life
editHuey and his wife Shelly live in Rolling Hills Estates. He and Shelly attend Calvary Chapel South Bay. They have 5 adult children.
References
edit1. "Special Election To Replace Rep. Jane Harman: Janice Hahn Leads The Pack". The Huffington Post. May 18, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
2. ^ Paul Chavez (April 20, 2011). "Hahn, Huey Lead Campaign Fundraising in 36th Congressional District Race". The Redondo Beach Patch. Archived from the original on August 25, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g "Voter Information for Craig Huey. May 17, 2011 Election". The League of Women Voters. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 4. ^ Eric Bradley (May 18, 2011). "36th Congressional District race outcome a surprise: Huey vs. Hahn". Press-Telegram. Long Beach, CA. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 5. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Mark McDermott (June 2, 2011). "Huey, Hahn square off in race for U.S. Congress". Easy Reader. 6. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Jessica Taylor (May 19, 2011). "Bowen Concedes In CA 36, Republican Heads to Runoff". The National Journal. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 7. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f Gene Maddus (May 18, 2011). "Craig Huey Takes Aim At Janice Hahn: 'She Won't Know What's Gonna Hit Her'". LA Weekly. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 8. ^ Grant Luckenbill (September 27, 1999). "Internet Big Focus at DMB, But Direct Mail Draws Crowd". Direct Marketing News. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 9. ^ Jean Merl (May 10, 2011). "Craig Huey: Republican Craig Huey faces long odds in a strongly Democratic district". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 10. ^ "California Election Forum". Retrieved June 3, 2011. 11. ^ "Creative Direct Marketing Group". 12. ^ "Creative DirectMarketing Group – Professional services". 13. ^ "Creative Direct Marketing Group – Client List". 14. ^ "V.I.V.A. System – Valuable Information, Value Added". 15. ^ "Creative Direct Marketing Group – Marketing Awards". 16. ^ "Web Marketing Association – WebAward". 17. ^ "DM News – Magalogs Catch On with Fashion Retailers". 18. ^ Jump up to:a b "The Biggest Threat to Direct Mail: The U.S. Postal Service". Direct Magazine. 19. ^ "The Direct Approach". INC. Magazine. 20. ^ "DM NEWS – How to Save the U.S. Postal Service". 21. ^ "Google Profile". 22. ^ "Freedomfest – Speakers". 23. ^ "Reality Alert – Election Forum". 24. ^ "Fox News – Craig Huey gives LA taxpayers a voice". 25. ^ "$18 billion religious travel industry gives birth to international association". Christian Examiner. 26. ^ "Frank Pastore Show Run Sheets: Monday, November 1, 2010". 27. ^ "Liberty Speaks Podcast – with Phil Liberatore". 28. ^ "Calvary Chapel La Habra – Election Forum with Craig Huey". 29. ^ "Parcel Tax Annual Report". 30. ^ "L.A. Voter Guide". Daily Breeze. 31. ^ "hrPeople – Californians Tax Burden Gets Heavier". |
32. ^ "Craig Huey's web page on term limits". "July 13, 2011. Check date values in: |date=(help) File:Hueytermlimits.png
33. ^ Jump up to:a b c Thomas Watkins (May 19, 2011). "Republican advances to runoff in Calf". Los Angeles Daily. The Associated Press. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 34. ^ Jump up to:a b c Eric Kleefeld (May 20, 2011). "Dem Hahn Vs. GOPer Huey For CA-36 Special Election Runoff". TPMDC. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 35. ^ Jump up to:a b Gary Walker (May 16, 2011). "Challengers for former Rep. Harman's seat head down home stretch toward May 17 congressional special election". The Argonaut. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 36. ^ Gary Walker (May 25, 2011). "Hahn, Huey set to battle for 36th Congressional District seat after taking first, second place in open primary". Retrieved June 3, 2011. 37. ^ Catalina Camia (May 18, 2011). "Race for Congress in Calif. takes unexpected turn". USA Today. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 38. ^ Jean Merl (June 6, 2011). "Janice Hahn blasts Craig Huey in first TV spot of special runoff for Harman congressional seat". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 39. ^ Jump up to:a b Paul Chavez (June 7, 2011). "Hahn Ad Compares Huey to Palin". Hermosa Beach, CA Patch. 40. ^ "Ad: Craig Huey called Planned Parenthood a "murder mill"". Politifact. St. Petersburg Times. June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 41. ^ "Give Us the Cash, Bitch!". YouTube. Retrieved 15 June 2011. 42. ^ Jump up to:a b c "YouTube video roils special congressional campaign". Los Angeles Times. June 14, 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011. 43. ^ Jump up to:a b c McMorris-Santoro, Evan (June 14, 2011). "In CA-36, Democrat Calls For Blanket Condemnation Of Stunning New Web Ad". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved 15 June 2011. 44. ^ Jump up to:a b Maddaus, Gene. "Craig Huey Calls Anti-Janice Hahn Video "Highly Offensive"". LA Weekly. Retrieved 15 June 2011. 45. ^ David Catanese (June 15, 2011). "Huey denounces 'racist, sexist' ad". Politico. 46. ^ Weigel, David. "The Most Offensive Political Ad Ever, This Hour". Slate. Retrieved 15 June 2011. 47. ^ Paul, Chavez (June 17, 2001). "Hahn Files FEC Complaint Over Ad". Redondo Beach Patch. Retrieved June 19, 2011. 48. ^ Catalina Camia (July 11, 2011). "011 Poll: Dem leads in Calif. special election for House". USA Today. 49. ^ David Catanese (July 11, 2011). "Huey's ex-wife seeks child support payments". Politico. Retrieved July 18, 2011. 50. ^ Jump up to:a b "Meet South Bay's Craig Huey". Retrieved January 29, 2013. 51. ^ Jean Merl (May 18, 2011). "Janice Hahn, Craig Huey appear headed for Congress seat runoff". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 52. ^ http://rrcc.co.la.ca.us/elect/11070592/rr0592pa.html-ssi 53. ^ "CD 36 Spec Primary & Consolidated Elec: Final Official Election Returns". County of Los Angeles-Department of Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. May 17, 2011, as of May 20, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011. Check date values in: |date= (help) |
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- ^ https://cdmginc.com/about/team/
- ^ https://www.craighuey.com/get-an-autographed-copy-of-my-new-book-23-equity-crowdfunding-secrets-to-raising-capital/
- ^ https://www.craighuey.com/the-deep-state-15-surprising-dangers-you-should-know-my-new-book-has-just-been-released
- ^ https://judgevoterguide.com/ JudgeVoterGuide.com
- ^ https://www.craighuey.com/ CraigHuey.com
- ^ https://www.electionforum.org/ ElectionForum.Org
- ^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Huey#cite_note-smartvoter-3