Don't just listen to what voters say — they will show what they care about

For decades, campaigns have relied on polling to guide strategy, messaging, and resource allocation. But polling has a fundamental blind spot: It only tells you what voters say they care about, not what they’re actually paying attention to.

That gap is widening, and it is costing campaigns.

Take the 2025 Democratic gubernatorial primary in New Jersey. Most candidates focused on national politics, President Trump, and the economy in their messaging. Traditional polling supported that focus.