Why Political Texts Won’t Leave You Alone, with State Sen. Stephanie Pitcher

In this special bonus episode of My Favorite Mistake, Mark Graban sits down with Senator Stephanie Pitcher, a criminal defense attorney (at Parker & McConkie in Utah) and Utah state senator, to discuss a modern campaign tactic that’s frustrating voters nationwide: political text messages. Senator Pitcher provides an insider’s view on why candidates rely on these texts to build name recognition, the rules governing them, and how campaigns respond (or sometimes don’t) to requests to “STOP.” Mark and Stephanie dive into questions many of us have wondered: Is anyone really reading our responses to campaign texts? Are these messages effective, or do they risk driving away potential voters? Senator Pitcher shares her personal experiences with both sending and receiving political texts, the realities of balancing voter outreach with respect for privacy, and the challenge of navigating the fine line between visibility and annoyance. For those curious about how campaign data is shared and why unsubscribing doesn’t always work as intended, Stephanie explains the often complex web of candidate PACs, third-party vendors, and data-sharing that keeps these messages coming. She also discusses her plans to explore more sophisticated social media advertising, leaving listeners with a thought-provoking view on the future of campaign outreach. Tune in to hear a behind-the-scenes look at campaign messaging from a seasoned state senator’s perspective!