1336 N. Capitol St, NW
2nd FL
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 387-1555
2nd FL
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 387-1555
Cornell Belcher
Cornell is President of brilliant corners Research and Strategies and one of the premier strategists in national politics, as well as an increasingly powerful new voice in the rebranding of corporate America. Over the years, Cornell has earned a reputation as being an outside-the-box thinker who isn't afraid to challenge conventional political orthodoxy. Indeed, he often finds it imperative in pursuit of creating a more expansive and inclusive political space. Since his work helping to rebrand the Democratic Party as pollster for the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2008, and his work for the Obama campaign, corporations have increasingly sought his guidance and knowledge of the new American marketplace.
Cornell has long been at the vanguard of the Democratic exploration into the role of values and culture in progressive politics - a skill set he employs in the consumer marketplace to better position corporate clients in an increasingly diverse America. Using facts to see beyond traditional ideas, Cornell's research provided evidence for eschewing the tired left vs. right orthodoxy in favor of a new progressive politics marked by an emphasis on core values and moral and ethical realism. Cornell has worked with both Senate and House Democrats as Senior Political Advisor to the Democratic Senatorial campaign Committee (DSCC) and Special Projects Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). As the pollster for the Democratic National Committee under the pioneering Chairmanship of Governor Howard Dean, he was able to ignore beltway criticisms and take the national Party's research in a dramatically different direction, exploring how best to challenge Republicans' strengths among voters in supposedly untouchable "red states," particularly "faith" or "values first" voters. Cornell's research helped rebrand and reposition the Democratic Party to better compete for voters in areas previously thought to be lost to Democrats. Under Governor Dean's leadership, Cornell helped to construct a savvy framework for the visionary 50 State Strategy that expanded the Democratic footprint on the electoral map and ultimately produced a Democratic realignment. Asked about Cornell's role, Governor Dean was quoted in the Washington Post as saying that the research conducted by brilliant corners for the DNC was "the best poll [he'd] seen in ten years."
Cornell built on his groundbreaking research with the national Party for the Obama presidential campaign. As a pollster for the Obama campaign, Cornell's research helped to produce an unconventional campaign and stunning victory in the Democratic presidential primaries. Cornell's work continued to produce extraordinary results in the general election for the Obama campaign, helping to expand the traditional battleground map and change the face of the electorate by mobilizing a younger and more diverse coalition hungry for change – the surge vote.
In 2009, Cornell's reputation prompted the BBC to invite him across the Atlantic Ocean to the United Kingdom. Using techniques similar to those employed in polling for the Obama campaign, Cornell analyzed British opinions of their Labour, Conservative (Tory), and Liberal Democrat politicians. Cornell presented his results in a series of guest appearances on the BBC's evening news program, Newsnight.
Heralded as an avant garde, outside-the-box thinker, Cornell has been a leader in casting the successful communication strategy as a simple compelling narrative that touches people on a visceral and intuitive level. For his achievements, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) Annual David Ogilvy Awards recognized Cornell and his contributions to the Obama for President Campaign by acknowledging him as a Gold Winner in the category of Government + Nonprofit Advertising. Additionally, Cornell was recognized for his stellar contribution to the field as one of the pollsters of the year by the Association of Political and Public Affairs Professionals (APPC). He is a frequent guest on radio, cable and network news shows analyzing the events of the day.
Cornell has long been at the vanguard of the Democratic exploration into the role of values and culture in progressive politics - a skill set he employs in the consumer marketplace to better position corporate clients in an increasingly diverse America. Using facts to see beyond traditional ideas, Cornell's research provided evidence for eschewing the tired left vs. right orthodoxy in favor of a new progressive politics marked by an emphasis on core values and moral and ethical realism. Cornell has worked with both Senate and House Democrats as Senior Political Advisor to the Democratic Senatorial campaign Committee (DSCC) and Special Projects Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). As the pollster for the Democratic National Committee under the pioneering Chairmanship of Governor Howard Dean, he was able to ignore beltway criticisms and take the national Party's research in a dramatically different direction, exploring how best to challenge Republicans' strengths among voters in supposedly untouchable "red states," particularly "faith" or "values first" voters. Cornell's research helped rebrand and reposition the Democratic Party to better compete for voters in areas previously thought to be lost to Democrats. Under Governor Dean's leadership, Cornell helped to construct a savvy framework for the visionary 50 State Strategy that expanded the Democratic footprint on the electoral map and ultimately produced a Democratic realignment. Asked about Cornell's role, Governor Dean was quoted in the Washington Post as saying that the research conducted by brilliant corners for the DNC was "the best poll [he'd] seen in ten years."
Cornell built on his groundbreaking research with the national Party for the Obama presidential campaign. As a pollster for the Obama campaign, Cornell's research helped to produce an unconventional campaign and stunning victory in the Democratic presidential primaries. Cornell's work continued to produce extraordinary results in the general election for the Obama campaign, helping to expand the traditional battleground map and change the face of the electorate by mobilizing a younger and more diverse coalition hungry for change – the surge vote.
In 2009, Cornell's reputation prompted the BBC to invite him across the Atlantic Ocean to the United Kingdom. Using techniques similar to those employed in polling for the Obama campaign, Cornell analyzed British opinions of their Labour, Conservative (Tory), and Liberal Democrat politicians. Cornell presented his results in a series of guest appearances on the BBC's evening news program, Newsnight.
Heralded as an avant garde, outside-the-box thinker, Cornell has been a leader in casting the successful communication strategy as a simple compelling narrative that touches people on a visceral and intuitive level. For his achievements, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) Annual David Ogilvy Awards recognized Cornell and his contributions to the Obama for President Campaign by acknowledging him as a Gold Winner in the category of Government + Nonprofit Advertising. Additionally, Cornell was recognized for his stellar contribution to the field as one of the pollsters of the year by the Association of Political and Public Affairs Professionals (APPC). He is a frequent guest on radio, cable and network news shows analyzing the events of the day.