Policy depends on politics. Sometimes it is a question of electing the right people to office. Other times it is a question of devising an effective strategy for creating or sustaining political support for a policy proposal. This track develops these skills by providing insight into political aspects of the policy adoption, implementation, maintenance and process, including how political campaigns work and the electoral connection to policy. Courses in this track include courses on the news media, public opinion, leadership, legislative process and campaign management.

GPPI students and alumni have applied these skills while running for office or working on a range of federal, state, and local campaigns. They have also demonstrated their skills at such organizations as the American Diabetes Association; Copa Airlines; Corporate Executive Board; Democratic Grassroots Action Institute & Network; The Keystone Center; Mortgage Bankers Association of America; Office of Governor Schwarzenegger; The Partnership for a Drug-Free America; Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates; Porter Novelli; TargetPoint Consulting; and U.S. Congress.