Nationally Recognized
Educator and Speaker:

Named a "Rising Star in Politics" by
Campaigns and Elections Magazine

Featured in the PBS documentary,
"Vote for Me: Politics in America"

Profiled in the Wall Street Journal as one
of the "top PAC-party organizers"

Featured in the Washington Post for her
creative fundraising events

Rated "Best Speaker" for Fall 2005 and
Spring 2006 by the students of the
Washington Semester Program in
American Politics at American University

Named one of the top five speakers for
The Republican National Committee's
Campaign Management Schools

Has Written/Co-Written
Political Training Manuals:

The Campaign Encyclopedia
a grassroots training manual for state
and local candidates (RNC)

The Campaign School Manual
A training manual for volunteers,
campaign workers and candidates for
the National Federation of Republican
Women

The PAC Encyclopedia
A directory of fundraising criteria for more
than 200 Political Action Committees (PAC)

The PAC Manual
A how-to guide for candidates seeking to raise PAC money for their congressional campaigns (NRCC)

"A Policy for Success":
The Independent Insurance Agent's
Guide to Victory
A campaign training manual for the Independent Insurance Agents of America

Nancy Bocskor

E bocskor@aol.com
T 703.276.7488
F 703.351.9124

Nancy Bocskor in the Press

The Democracy Coach
November 19th, 2007 - Translated from Die Welt (original article)

Nancy Bocskor with Reem Ahmad Kasem in Jordan

Amman, Jordan - Nancy Bocskor spreads democracy throughout the world as an ambassador in the spirit of US President George Bush. The lively American travels from one country to the next coaching candidates on how to win elections, especially encouraging women to make it into parliament. "My students are individuals and organizations: I teach them how to win a campaign without losing their sanity or their souls." That has kept this 50-year-old on the move since the fall of the Iron Curtain, especially in Eastern Europe. Right now, the small lady with a big engagement is in Jordan. The parliamentary elections are November 20th, and Nancy Bocskor is overseeing 5 candidates.

This country across the Jordan is small. Only 5.9 million people live here, not counting the million or so Iraqi refugees. Jordan, in recent years, has increasingly become a bridgehead for the west. As a strong ally of the United States, King Abdullah sees himself in the succession of his father, as a classical mediator. Surrounded by trouble spots such as Israel, Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon, the country benefits economically both from its geographical location and the political skill of its monarch. But, this relative safety hangs by a thin thread. Bomb attacks two years ago on three five-star hotels in Amman testify to the fact that the spark of violence can quickly skip to Jordan from its neighbors. Abu Massab-al-Zarkawi the dreaded and now deceased leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, came from Zarka, near Amman.

[Zarka] is also home to one of Nancy Bocskor's proteges. Reem Ahmad Kasem wants to enter parliament. As a journalist she often reported about politics. Now she wants to shape politics herself and is confident of winning one of the 110 seats representing the people. But, in Jordan's history, no woman has ever been elected directly to parliament. The six women currently serving in the parliament were appointed proportionally according to the number of votes. Without this "woman quota" no female representative would be in parliament. This in a country which is regarded as one of the most liberal and most progressive in the Middle East.

Candidate Kasem is on the phone all the time staying very close to her voters and their problems. She wants to demonstrate that she has time for them -- now and after the elections -- and again pushes the buttons on her mobile. With her silver hijab (headscarf), and matching glittery shoes and handbag she expresses a hint of the Orient. To run a campaign in Zarka is not easy. The city is extremely conservative, poor and also very religious, almost fundamental. "Even so," answers the 38-year-old defiantly when asked about the difficulties in Zarka and the campaign. Of course the political culture is completely different in the United States than in Jordan. But, they could still learn a lot from Nancy: how to discuss the issues of poor administration in the community, how to find solutions, and how to integrate their families into the campaign. Reem's husband attends all of her events. Without his support she, as a woman, could not run.

What causes the most headaches for these two women is the fact that there may be irregularities on election day. Buying of votes is one issue right now, also election fraud is another. Already at the communal elections in July serious allegations have been raised. Now, non-governmental organizations have been forbidden as election observers. Nancy has learned that up to $100US are paid per vote. Proof is a hectically taken picture with a mobile phone camera in the polling booth. Reem and her family don't want, nor can they, participate in this practice. Michael Broening, head of the German Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation in Jordan, presumes that a win of the Islamists will be impeded. The Islamic Action Front (IAF), with 20 seats the only opposition party in the last parliament, has chances to gain. According to Broening, it seems the Islamists have cut a deal with the government in recent days. "Not too big a fraud at the vote count on the side of the government. "Not too much fraud in the counting from the government. This sends the IAF only 22 moderate candidates int he race. Radicals were previously eliminated." With those vote results it is agreed that the democracy coach Nancy still has much to do.

Teaches Classes at the
Following Universities:

George Washington University
Graduate School of
Political Management
Fall 2006: "Strategy and Message"
Spring 2007: "Fundraising"
Fall 2007: "Executive Fundraising"
Spring 2008: "Fundraising"

American University
Spring 2004: "Political Fundraising"
Fall 2006: "Political Fundraising"

Has Lectured at the
Following Universities:

Harvard University
Kennedy School of Government
"From Harvard Square to the Oval Office"

Yale University
The Women's Campaign School
"Fundraising, Volunteer Recruitment, and Voter Registration"

Georgetown University
The Fund for American Studies
"Fundraising"

University of Maryland
Political Fundraising

University of Idaho
Women's Leadership Program

San Diego State University
Women's Leadership Program

University of Texas
The Annette Strauss Institute
"Fundraising" and "Volunteer Recruitment"

American University
Campaign Management Institute
"Event Planning"

American University
Women and Politics Institute
"Women's Leadership and Fundraising"

George Washington University
Semester in Washington Program

Arizona State University
Political Fundraising