Are you ready?
Democracy needs better, bolder, and more diverse voices to fight for our communities. Those voices deserve a competitive edge.
WHO WE ARE
R&J Strategies is a full-service political consultancy in New York City
R&J Strategies
Based in the Bronx, R&J Strategies empowers Democratic and progressive campaigns, organizations, and causes through strategic marketing and consulting services.
Our Approach
We work closely with clients to understand their goals, identify challenges, develop practical solutions, and build achievable plans that support sustainable growth and long-term impact.
Who We Serve
From local, state, and federal candidates to grassroots startups, advocacy organizations, and specialty causes, R&J Strategies helps clients strengthen their message, expand their reach, and ensure their voices cut through the noise.
Whether it’s winning elections, encouraging civic engagement, or directing resources to worthy projects we are unafraid to innovate and push the envelope through visionary projects while relying on a strong fundamentals to achieve results.
Our consultancy provides political consulting to candidates and campaigns:
R&J Strategies
R&J Strategies is a Bronx-based strategic marketing and consulting firm that supports Democratic and progressive campaigns, organizations, and causes.
Approach
We begin by understanding each client’s goals, challenges, and audience. From there, we develop practical strategies and achievable plans designed to strengthen visibility, build momentum, and support long-term impact.
· Fundraising Creative Direction: Develops compelling creative concepts and materials that support fundraising goals and strengthen donor engagement.
· Direct Mail Strategy and Execution: Plans and delivers targeted direct mail campaigns that communicate clearly, motivate action, and reach the right audiences.
· Digital Advertising Campaigns: Creates and manages digital advertising efforts designed to expand visibility, reinforce key messages, and drive measurable engagement.
OUR EXPERTISE
R&J Strategies consultancy…
· Strategic Problem-Solving: Applies a disciplined approach to strategic problem-solving, grounded in integrity, accountability, and honorable politics.
· Mission-Aligned Partnerships: Partners with organizations, candidates, and community leaders who share a commitment to addressing urgent civic, social, and political challenges.
· Communications, Research, and Project Management: Leads complex, tailored communications, research, and project-management initiatives for political campaigns, advocacy efforts, and independent expenditures.
· Community Advocacy: Works to amplify the voices of women, people of color, working-class communities, LGBTQ communities, and residents affected by the housing crisis, racial injustice, and quality-of-life concerns.
OUR VALUES
Transparency at Every Level
Creative, Cost-Conscious Campaign Materials
We deliver high-quality work at a competitive price, with full transparency around costs and margins. Our creative approach is designed to stand apart from standard political mail and digital ads that are often recycled from one race to the next with only a candidate’s name and photo changed.
Creativity is central to our work. We intentionally look beyond traditional political design conventions to create materials that feel fresh, distinctive, and memorable. Because voters have countless demands on their attention, our goal is to capture interest quickly and make every impression count.
Smarter Digital Advertising Strategy
We understand that digital advertising works differently from other forms of communication. With direct mail, a campaign sends a list of addresses to a printer and expects each household to receive the piece. Digital advertising is more complex: lists must be matched across platforms to determine who is reachable, and a significant portion of the audience may be unreachable during that process.
Privacy restrictions can also make it difficult to know exactly who was served an ad. Our digital strategies are designed to increase the likelihood that ads reach as many targeted voters as possible. We ask the right questions, monitor performance closely, and continually optimize campaigns to make the most effective use of every advertising dollar.
OUR VALUES
Relationships Matter
We pride ourselves on the strong relationships we’ve built over the years on various races across New York State, those relationships have remained strong because we’re committed to offering the best possible product and being open and honest with those we work with. We don’t just drop your ads for approval and then go away. We stay involved throughout the campaign and become as familiar with the terrain and the race dynamics as possible.
We build all of our businesses slowly by design – it’s more important for us to do it right than to do it fast. We’ve got reliable designers, reliable printers, and a team that is hyper-responsive to your needs.
MEET OUR FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Robert Barnes
Professional Background
Robert Barnes brings more than 30 years of professional experience in politics, government, and public affairs. He is recognized as a driven leader and strong problem-solver who has worked closely with elected officials at New York State, New York City, and federal levels, as well as with private-sector, nonprofit, property management and community-based organizations.
Campaign Leadership and Historic Wins
Throughout his career, Robert has played a key role in numerous high-profile political campaigns across New York State. He served as campaign consultant in a highly contested Bronx Borough President race, helping Vanessa Gibson secure a decisive victory and become the first African American woman to serve as Bronx Borough President.
His campaign accomplishments also include helping elect Darcel D. Clark as the first African American woman to serve as Bronx District Attorney—and the first to hold that distinction in New York State. In addition, Robert has managed successful campaigns for candidates seeking state, city, federal, and judicial offices throughout New York State and New York City.
