Candidates Using E-mail for More Than Fundraising in May, June

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McCain and Giuliani use it to push their books, Clinton and Edwards to get personal, and Obama to get the netroots out on the streets. In the political world, as in the e-commerce world, e-mail is often considered a tool best suited for bringing in the bucks. However, political campaigns are not only employing it to promote fundraising, but to update supporters while on the campaign trail, target opponents, promote events, push paraphernalia, and even appeal to their sweet tooth.

According to information gathered from e-mail tracking firm Email Data Source, the top Democratic and Republican candidates kept in touch with supporters and campaign watchers by sending anywhere from three to 17 e-mail newsletters each in May and early June.

Hillary Clinton for President sent four messages in May and two so far as of June 8, the most recent of which were personality-driven and intended to engage supporters for help and advice. Opponents at The John Edwards for President campaign, which sent 13 e-mails in May and four this month, also got up-close and personal lately; campaign colleagues used the North Carolina Senator's birthday and a secret family pecan pie recipe as incentives to donate money. Obama for America, the campaign for fellow Democratic contender Barack Obama, sent 10 e-mails in May and four this month, many promoting canvassing and organizing events.

The more prominent Republican candidates did their fair share of e-mailing, too. The John McCain 2008 campaign sent nine messages in May and one as of June 8, many offering updates from the campaign trail. The campaign for Republican Mitt Romney, Romney for President, sent a total of 15 newsletters over the past two months, many promoting video content on Mitt TV and urging recipients to invite others to join his campaign. The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee sent three messages on behalf of the former NYC mayor's campaign, all in June, none of which were sent from the candidate himself.

More so than any other candidate tracked here, the Giuliani campaign used the promise of campaign paraphernalia like the candidate's book, campaign caps and pins, in exchange for donations. That campaign wasn’t the only one employing its newsletters to offer campaign gear in exchange for cash. John Edwards for President pushed "Support the Troops, End the War" T-shirts and bumper stickers for donations, while the McCain campaign rewarded donors of larger sums with signed copies of the Senator's book.