Iowa is a swing state in this presidential election and a lot of candidate visits are expected to visit. The President was in Davenport last week, where he chose to speak in the middle of the Village of East Davenport. Last time Mitt Romney was in the Quad Cities, he held a rally in Davenport's LeClaire Park.
But for Wednesday's rally, Romney has chosen a different kind of venue. He will speak inside of a manufacturing plant.
Political analysts tell KWQC -- whether it's venue or clothing -- there is a method behind each and every choice these candidates make.
"It's absolutely about branding," said Augustana College Communications Professor, Stephen Klien.
In order to appeal to a broad base of voters, candidates need to think about what they look like in the public eye. So, when holding a rally, venue is important.
"If President Obama wants to identify with middle America, small town values, then he's going to pick a spot in that swing state that's going to look like a small town," said Klien. "A candidate like Governor Romney wants to really emphasize the economic agenda and the employment relationship to the recovery, then he's going to be at a manufacturing plant, he wants to be seen with workers and machinery."
But Klien says venue is something to be cautious about, too. For example -- candidates don't want to accidentally campaign at a business that's just laid off workers.
"Candidates have sometimes gotten in trouble because the venues they've selected or the examples they've chosen to highlight in their ads inadvertently become something that's embarrassing," Klien said.
What a candidate is wearing also sends out a strong message about the personality and character that candidates wants to portray.
"If I want to appear statesman like and presidential I'm going to wear a suit jacket and stand behind a lectern and preferably with a seal in front of it," Klien said. "If I want to appeal to middle class working americans I want to look like a middle class working american. I'll take off the jacket roll up my sleeves and that's going to show you that I work because I roll up my sleeves."
Campaigning is also about who candidates bring with them to a rally --
"If it's the spouse for instance, or even if it's the kind of folks who are going to be sitting behind the candidate politely clapping, a lot of that is about visual messaging as well."
The women's vote is very important to both candidates as the general election moves forward. So, don't be surprised if you see more of Mrs. Romney and the First Lady as time goes on.
