Thomas Peters Featured on the Campaign War Stories Podcast

The Campaign War Stories podcast interviewed RumbleUp's CEO, Thomas Peters, showing the inspiring story that produced the best in Republican P2P texting.

Wesley Donehue of the Campaign War Stories podcast interviewed our visionary founder and CEO, Thomas Peters, on the podcast’s 81st episode. The conversation dove into the realms of political technology, transparency, entrepreneurship, and more. 

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Here are the key highlights from their engaging discussion.

About Thomas Peters, Our Founder and CEO 

Thomas Peters, at 38, has an impressive background with two master’s degrees and a rich history in political organizing and digital advocacy. His career began in Washington DC in 2007 with the award-winning blog AmericanPapist, which attracted millions of readers. Over the years, Thomas has served as a communications director, writer, consultant, and pundit, contributing significantly to various political campaigns.

In 2014, he founded uCampaign, a platform that enabled the creation and operation of white label iOS/Android apps for political organizations worldwide. The success of uCampaign paved the way for the launch of RumbleUp in 2018 for peer-to-peer texting and Switchboard in 2022 for toll-free and short-code texting.

RumbleUp is now the market leader in Republican P2P texting and has powered numerous campaigns and national committees, including those of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the Republican Governors Association (RGA), the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). 

Thomas has received widespread recognition for his work, including a "40 under 40" award from the American Association of Political Consultants. His innovative contributions have been profiled by major publications such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and he has appeared on notable media platforms, including Fox News, NPR, and Bloomberg’s Balance of Power podcast.

Harnessing Smartphones for Political Campaigns

One of the standout moments from the podcast was Thomas Peters' reflection on Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. Despite Romney's defeat, Thomas identified a crucial insight: the untapped potential of smartphones in organizing and mobilizing political campaigns. This realization was a game-changer and set the foundation for Thomas’ future ventures, emphasizing the importance of integrating modern technology into political strategies.

The Transparency Conundrum in Politics

Both Thomas and Wesley agreed that the need for more transparency among political professionals is a significant issue in the political sphere. They explored how this secrecy can hinder growth and innovation within the field. They stressed the need for a more open and collaborative approach, which could significantly enhance the effectiveness and evolution of political campaigning.

Entrepreneurship as a Lifeline

Thomas shared a deeply personal story about how creating his first business, uCampaign, was pivotal in his recovery from his traumatic, life-altering injury in 2013 that left him paraplegic. The entrepreneurial journey of creating uCampaign while going through intensive physical therapy played a crucial role in his mental and emotional healing. The profound impact that following one's passion can have on personal well-being, as displayed by Thomas, deeply touched Wesley.

Although uCampaign is no longer live, his entrepreneurial spirit only continued to grow with the creation of RumbleUp, for powerful political peer-to-peer texting, and our sister platform Switchboard, for toll-free and short-code texting.

Resilience and Decision-Making in Business

Reflecting on their experiences, Thomas and Wesley discussed how the fragility of life influences their approach to entrepreneurship. Thomas admitted that he most likely would not have traded a life of relative job stability for entrepreneurship had it not been for the accident and emphasized the importance of resilience and adaptability needed to make entrepreneurship work—qualities that have been essential in his decision-making process in both his personal life and business ventures.

Innovation in Political Technology: Democrats Invent, Republicans Perfect

Thomas provided a fascinating insight into a key trend within political technology. He observed that many digital strategies are initially developed by Democrats and later perfected by Republicans. This dynamic of innovation and refinement underscores the competitive nature of political technology and the ongoing quest for more effective tools.

Debating Regulatory Measures in Political Texting

The conversation also touched on the regulatory environment of political campaigns. Thomas and Wesley theorized about the repercussions of lack of self-regulation with texting that we are currently seeing with some actors in the industry that could lead to third parties implementing unfavorable regulatory measures for texting that would make it un-viable as a "big social" or TV alternative.

They discussed how these measures could impact the efficiency and integrity of campaign operations as they operate and use texting today, offering a nuanced perspective on this complex issue. 

Bottom Line

The conversation between Thomas Peters and Wesley Donehue on the Campaign War Stories podcast offers invaluable insights into political technology, transparency, and entrepreneurship. Thomas' journey from a traumatic injury to becoming a leader in political texting technology is inspiring and instructive. His reflections on lessons learned from past campaigns and his vision for the future provide a compelling narrative for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and politics.

You can stay up-to-date with Thomas and his unique perspective on the political P2P texting industry by connecting on LinkedIn.

Want to join us in revolutionizing political communication and shaping the future of democracy? Text or call our expert team at (833) 530-4400 or email sales@rumbleup.com to learn how we can help you start texting today.