How to Prepare Your Candidate for a Debate

As a member of the Communications team, you’ll play a large role in ensuring that your candidate is ready to face their opponent(s) in a political debate. A successful debate appearance will give voters an opportunity to get to know your candidate, and it can provide your campaign an opportunity for earned media coverage — so it’s important to ensure that your candidate is prepared to face the debate stage. This course will provide you with a guide for how to properly research, brief, and prepare your candidate for a successful debate.

Course Objectives

• Research debate moderators and opponents

• • Develop briefing memos to prepare your candidate for their debate

  • Execute a debate dress rehearsal

  • Debrief your candidate’s debate performance