We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lindsay Vermeyen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Lindsay thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a client that you appreciate them?
After being in client services for 15 years now, I’ve learned that the best things you can do to show your appreciation to a client are 1) Keep your word — whether on a timeline/deadline, your capabilities, or what information you have or don’t have, being honest and forthcoming are key to building trust; 2) Build a relationship — remember the “small talk” you have, about their families and their lives; 3) And both of these things ultimately lead to… being kind! It’s amazing how far you can get in business (and I’m sure this varies by industry, but if it’s true in politics I can’t imagine it being far off in many other industries) just by doing what you say you will, with a good attitude. And for folks starting out in their careers — this goes to your internal work as well, with your colleagues or your managers.
Lindsay, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
As a pollster, I serve as a trusted advisor for progressives across the country, using qualitative and quantitative research to craft strategic communications for political candidates, advocacy organizations, and institutions. I recently left a firm launch the new polling division of New River Strategies.
In 2024, I led polling for Arizonans for Abortion Access and Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, helping secure abortion rights for millions. In 2022, I supported coalitions in Nevada and Michigan to pass proactive reproductive freedom measures and aided efforts in Montana to defeat an anti-abortion initiative.
I also poll for Democratic candidates, playing a key role in winning races, including Rhodesia Ransom (CA AD13), Sasha Renee Perez (CA SD25), and Adam Schiff (CA-SEN). In 2023, I helped Senate President Pro Tem Louise Lucas (VA SD18) win re-election in a newly drawn district, and in 2022, I elected Rex Richardson, Long Beach’s first Black mayor, and helped Caroline Menjivar (CA SD20), n LGBTQ+ Latina veteran, overcome the odds to win a State Senate seat in the San Fernando Valley.
Beyond campaigns, I support organizations crafting long-term messaging strategies in red and purple states. I’ve collaborated with coalitions in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Wyoming, producing messaging handbooks that bridge progressive values with centrist audiences to build bigger coalitions.
Before I got into polling, I worked at a public affairs firm, coordinating statewide and national grassroots and public relations campaigns for clients like the Pew Environment Group’s Clean Energy Campaign. I also directed patient, volunteer, and community outreach for two free health clinics in Southern California—Maria Shriver’s Modern House Call for Women in Long Beach and CareNow in Los Angeles—which provided free medical, dental, and vision care to thousands of underserved individuals.
How’d you meet your business partner?
I would be nowhere without my partners at New River Strategies, Patrick Toomey and Benjy Messner. Patrick and I came up in polling together — we both started at the very bottom in our previous firm, which means we a) share the same weird humor, anxieties, and knowledge base, and b) have played every role and done every task we’ve ever asked our teams to do.
While doing custom quant and qual research for campaigns, we had the pleasure of working with Benjy (who founded New River) who would contribute the big data modeling and analytics to the campaign. By the end of 2024, we reached a turning point and saw an opportunity: bringing every type of research under one roof. It was a natural fit, and the partnership took shape from there.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Building a network of people who will vouch for you is essential. I was incredibly fortunate to spend years working under the brilliant pollster Amy Levin. She not only modeled what it means to be a great pollster and consultant but also lent me her credibility as I began taking on clients of my own. Getting your foot in the door is a major first step, and Amy’s reputation helped me establish my own.
From there, delivering good work has been key to growing that network — happy clients recommend you to their peers, creating a ripple effect. That’s also how I’ve developed specialties over time: when people see success, they want to replicate it in their own campaigns, whether electoral or otherwise.
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