Grasstops
The Herald Group is a leading public affairs firm that specializes in grasstops advocacy—identifying, recruiting, and mobilizing the influential voices in a lawmaker's local community to deliver direct political pressure at the moments that count.
THE PROBLEM
Policymakers don't respond to pressure. They respond to people.
National campaigns reach everyone. But the voices that actually move lawmakers are the ones in their own backyard: in-district, local business leaders, former elected officials, community figures, and campaign contributors who carry real weight with the policymaker.
Some lawmakers respond very differently when a trusted constituent shows up in their district office, publishes an op-ed in their hometown paper, or calls their staff directly. Grasstops advocacy puts the right messenger in front of the right target, with the right message, at the right time in the states and home districts where decisions are made.
A lawmaker can ignore lobbyists in Washington. They can't ignore someone they know calling from back home.
Steven Smith
Vice President at The Herald Group
WHAT WE DO
Innovative Strategies + Extensive Capabilities
THG deploys integrated grasstops advocacy programs—executed at the state and congressional district level—to engage the policymakers and staff who determine outcomes.
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Grasstops Key Influencer Identification & Recruitment
Activates trusted voices with direct access to decision-makers and their networks.
THG maintains a national network of on-the-ground field operatives with deep political, professional, and community ties in their regions. We identify and recruit key influencers—individuals with the credentials, relationships, and face-to-face access needed to directly engage targeted lawmakers and their staff—and match the right messenger to the right legislative target.
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Direct Policymaker Intercepts & Meetings
Delivers targeted engagement in the moments and settings where influence is highest.
Certain grasstops influencers are recognizable enough that policymakers are compelled to engage with them directly. THG creates those in-person opportunities like town halls, district offices, local events, and industry forums to deliver the message where it carries the most political weight.
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Op-Eds & Letters to the Editor
Uses credible third-party voices to shape narratives and reinforce public pressure.
We develop and place op-eds and letters to the editor in publications within a target lawmaker's district or state — building a steady drumbeat of local narrative support, applying public pressure, and creating the community visibility that reinforces direct advocacy efforts.
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Direct Calls & Correspondence
Applies personalized outreach to ensure messages land with clarity and urgency.
Direct calls and letters from recognized local key influencers to targeted lawmakers and senior staff are among the most effective grasstops tactics. THG coordinates and executes these engagements with precision and strategic intent.
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Content Development & Messaging
Equips advocates with tailored materials that align local voices with campaign goals.
THG develops and localizes all content for grasstops advocates—talking points, leave-behinds, sample letters, op-ed drafts, and media materials—ensuring every messenger is prepared and on-message. Content is built to echo what lawmakers hear through other campaign channels, creating the surround-sound effect that builds political momentum.
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In-District Intelligence Gathering
Provides real-time insight from the ground to inform strategy and adapt quickly.
Grasstops engagement generates as much intelligence as it delivers pressure. Our field operatives provide real-time reporting on the local political landscape, including a lawmaker's vulnerabilities, priorities, and pressure points—so campaigns can adapt and respond as conditions change.
Designed to Fit Your Needs
Grasstops advocacy is what connects national campaign strategy to local political reality.
We find the trusted, credible voices directly in front of the decision-makers who determine outcomes.
Localize the Message
Grasstops speaks to one lawmaker, in their district, about the people and issues they know. That specificity is what makes it decisive.
Inform Lawmakers
Some legislators respond differently to a trusted constituent delivering messages at home. Local credibility might change the calculation.
Build Authentic Local Credibility
Community-based voices carry more weight with lawmakers than inside-the-Beltway advocates.
Extend Overall Campaign Reach
Grasstops reinforces earned media, grassroots activity, and direct lobbying with credible outside voices that legislators take seriously.
Activate at Critical Legislative Moments
We intensify grasstops advocacy at key legislative and regulatory inflection points to maximize impact when decisions are being made.
Our Team
Meet the team behind THG's grasstops advocacy practice. Our strategists and field operatives combine national campaign experience with the deep local networks that effective state and district-level advocacy demands.
Bill Bertles
Partner
With 20 years of experience, Bill specializes in identifying and recruiting the local influencers and trusted constituents who carry real weight with lawmakers in their home districts and states.
Trace Scruggs
Vice President
Trace specializes in grasstops mobilization for Fortune 100 companies and trade associations, activating influential stakeholders whose voices carry weight with policymakers and shape public perception.
Steven Smith
Vice President
Steven spent a decade inside congressional offices across the country, giving him direct insight into which local voices actually move a lawmaker's staff and shape policy decisions from the inside.
Meet Team THG
Meet our entire team of political campaign mentalities, MBA acumen, and more.
