Persad-Bissessar will become T&T’s first female Prime Minister after her coalition won an impressive 29 of 41 seats in Parliament.

The multi-party coalition, comprised of the United National Congress (UNC), Congress of the People (COP), and Tobago Organization of the People (TOP), joined together against the current Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his PNM Party in an unexpectedly powerful rebuke against the status quo.

Manning had ruled the country for 13 of the past 17 years, and called a snap election last month when faced with a potential no-confidence vote in Parliament.

The Miami Herald called Persad-Bissessar’s victory a “crushing rejection” for the incumbent after his team was “hoping to catch the opposition off-guard.”

“Today marks the beginning of a new era of reform in Trinidad and Tobago,” said AKPD Managing Partner Larry Grisolano. “We are proud to have helped usher in a leader who will bring much-needed transparency and accountability to her government.”

AKPD worked with the People’s Partnership to develop campaign message and strategy, oversee opinion research and implement new media targeting. Their new media consulting work included online strategy, social networking (Kamla.tt and ManningMustGo.com), and placing voter-education Internet ads.

AKPD has a long history as media and message consultants to successful campaigns at every level of government. A partial client list is available here.

For press inquiries, please contact Larry Grisolano at (312) 664-7500.

Fisher scored a convincing win over his opponent, earning 55% of the primary vote.

“Fisher handily defeated his primary challenger,” reports today’s Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Ohio Democrats nominated Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher to champion their interests in what will be one of the country’s most closely watched battles for U.S. Senate.”

“By staying focused on his message of standing up for Ohio values and fighting for Ohio jobs, Lee Fisher forged a connection with Ohio voters that sets the stage for a spirited general election campaign,” said AKPD vice president Isaac Baker. “Lt. Governor Fisher’s commitment to ending tax breaks and trade policies that ship Ohio jobs overseas while holding Wall Street accountable speaks directly to the concerns of Ohio’s hard-working families.”

AKPD serves as the Fisher campaign’s media strategists, helping develop the campaign message and generating TV, radio, and Internet advertising. Watch Lee Fisher’s final primary campaign ad here.

AKPD has a long history of serving successful Democratic campaigns at every level of politics. A partial client list is available here.

Foxx will replace Republican Mayor Pat McCrory, who is stepping down after 14 years. Foxx will become the first Democratic mayor of Charlotte in 22 years, the second African-American in history to win that office. At 37 years old, Foxx is also the youngest Charlotte mayor in recent memory.

AKPD Message and Media served as campaign strategists and media consultants to Mayor-elect Foxx. AKPD partner John Del Cecato said:

“Just three months ago, our Republican opponent held a 3:1 cash advantage and a 16-point lead in some public polls. But by staying laser-focused on his message of expanding educational and economic opportunity for all Charlotte families, Mayor-elect Foxx overcame the odds and won a tremendous victory last night. We¹re incredibly proud to be part of the Foxx team.”

Watch the Foxx campaign’s television ad:

AKPD has a long history of serving successful Democratic campaigns at every level of politics ­ including national, statewide, and local races. A partial client list is available at: akpdmedia.com/clients.

AKPD worked with Francisco de Narváez to create message and media strategies that helped defeat the long-standing majority in Parliament, headed by former president Nestor Kirchner. Neither Nestor or current president Cristina Kirchner have ever lost a major election, prompting the Associated Press to call the results “stunning” and the New York Times referred to it as a  “crushing defeat” for the incumbents.

Larry Grisolano, AKPD’s managing partner, said: “The people of the province of Buenos Aires have chosen reform — putting an end to politics-as-usual, and rejecting those who put the interests of powerful insiders before the economic and security needs of ordinary people. De Narváez is an inspirational symbol of hope for people across the world who are using the power of their votes to hold governments accountable to their every day needs. ”

AKPD has a long history as media and message consultants to successful campaigns at every level of government.

AKPD worked with the No on 1A Coalition to produce television and internet advertising which helped defeat California’s misguided Prop 1A by a vote of 65.9% to 34.1%. Prop 1A had powerful proponents, including Governor Schwarzenegger, but paid media such as “Accounting Professor” helped to clarify an otherwise complex issue so that California voters learned that Prop 1A was flawed.

Larry Grisolano, AKPD’s managing partner, said: “We’re proud to stand by the No on 1A Coalition of teachers, faculty, nurses, health care providers, seniors and public employees, who fought so hard on behalf of real budget reform.”

The Coalition included participation from citizen and labor groups, such as the California Faculty Association, the California Federation of Teachers, SEIU California State Council, the League of Women Voters of California, Congress of California Seniors, Health Access California, California Nurses Association, Consumer Federation of California, and Older Women’s League of California.

AKPD also implemented the campaign’s advocacy website, VoteNoOn1A.com, which conveyed the Coalition’s perspective to those wanting to learn more after viewing the Coalition’s television and internet advertising.

AKPD has a long history as media consultant to successful referendum and issue expenditure campaigns. A partial client list is available here.

Lee Fisher

“U.S. Senate candidate Lee Fisher confirmed today that he hired media consultant AKPD Message and Media, whose strategists ran Obama’s presidential campaign.

The Plain Dealer first noted in early March that the campaign was talking to the firm.

Since Obama’s victory, AKPD founder David Axelrod, formerly the Obama campaign’s chief strategist, has sold the firm and is now a senior adviser to the president. Axelrod oversaw Fisher’s attorney general media campaigns in 1990 and 1994.”

David Katz/Obama for America

President Obama credited AKPD’s Senior Advisor David Plouffe for running the “best political campaign in the history of the United States of America.”

The American Association of Political Consultants agreed, awarding David Plouffe with its 2009 Campaign Excellence “Pollie Award” for Campaign Manager of the Year.