By: Kenneth P. Vogel
\nApril 24, 2010 07:08 PM EDT<\/p>\n
President Barack Obama\u2019s prospective 2012 Republican rivals are investing heavily in the Internet, looking to cut into what was an overwhelming advantage for Obama in the 2008 campaign.Through the first three months of the year, the political groups started by Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee have spent a total of nearly $600,000 building their web operations, according to reports filed this month with the Federal Election Commission and the Internal Revenue Service.<\/p>\n
The online competition has taken a variety of forms. Palin has hired the two young founders of a fan site that zealously defends her honor and upbraids her critics. Pawlenty has hired online consultants from the 2008 presidential campaigns of Romney and Ron Paul. Gingrich has developed a sophisticated in-house micro-targeting operation. And Huckabee has deployed volunteers to man social networks.<\/p>\n
And, though each potential candidate insists the efforts \u2013 online and otherwise \u2013 are intended to boost conservatives headed into the 2010 midterm elections, their web operations suggest a keen awareness of the Internet\u2019s importance for organizing, messaging and raising money \u2013 and certainly could help lay the groundwork for their own prospective bids in 2012.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone thinking about running for president \u2013 or even local dog catcher \u2013 needs to have an effective online strategy from day one, because it will be the most determining factor of early-, mid- and possibly late support,\u201d said David All, an online political consultant who founded the blog TechRepublican.com, which tracks the use of Internet applications by Republican candidates and groups.<\/p>\n