Progressive Strategies NW is a political consulting firm that trains left-of-center clients in targeting, messaging, and voter communications. It lists school board advocacy, state legislature efforts, and political campaigns as typical clients. ¹

It is operated by four consultants based in or familiar with the Pacific Northwest, but it has advised clients in multiple different regions of the United States. ^{1 2}

Its clients have included political candidates in multiple different states for the state legislature, city councils, port commissioner positions, court positions, local sheriff positions, county auditor positions, county commissioner positions, county prosecutor positions, municipal courts, school boards, county public utility division (PUD) commission positions, and other offices. It has also consulted for ballot initiative campaigns, school districts, nonprofit organizations, and political action committees (PACs). ²

Background

Progressive Strategies NW is a political consulting firm that trains left-of-center clients in targeting, messaging, and voter communications. Some of its personnel have experience with presidential campaigns, while others have backgrounds in school board fundraising. ¹

Activities

Progressive Strategies NW lists school board advocacy, state legislature efforts, ballot initiatives, and political campaigns as typical clients. ¹

The firm claims to base its recommendations on “industry-leading data.” ¹ Its work covers campaign strategy, direct mailing, digital advertising using geolocation to target voters, direct voter contact, website launches, media communication strategies, and recording television and radio segments “targeting the best demographic groups.” ³

It advises PACs on organizational strategy and voter targeting, manages the finances of campaigns, analyzes data on election results and voter behavior, develops voter models for best persuasion practices, and maps demographic information. ³

Clients

Its clients have included electoral candidates in multiple different states for the state house of representatives, state senate, city council, port commissioner positions, superior court positions, county sheriff positions, county auditor positions, county commissioner positions, county prosecutor positions, municipal courts, school boards, county public utility division (PUD) commission positions, and other political offices. Its nonprofit, PAC, and fundraising clients have included the Citizens’ Committee for Alington Schools, the Bellingham Home Fund, the Bellingham Transportation Fund, Bellevue Quality Schools, Support Our Hospital Committee – Grays Harbor, Civic Alliance for a Sound Economy (CASE) PAC, and Downtown Seattle Association. It has advised North Kitsap Schools and Central Kitsap Schools on school board funding issues. ²

Its ballot initiatives and campaigns have included Yes Edmonds Schools, Yes for Everett Schools, Support Ferndale Schools, Yes for Highline Schools, Citizens for Lake Washington Schools, Citizens for North Thurston Schools, Citizens for Northshore Schools, Citizens for Oak Harbor Schools, Stand Up for Peninsula Schools, and Yes for Homes – San Juan County. ²

Controversy

In September 2023, Progressive Strategies NW was mentioned in an article from Seattle-based newspaper The Stranger which covered how the firm charged a failed state house candidate with what the candidate believed to be a large fee on voter mobilization efforts. “Some consultants will lie to your face about it and milk you for every penny,” the candidate said. ⁴

Leadership

As of 2025, the firm was operated by four consultants: Ben Anderstone, Lesley Rogers, Nic van Putten, and Nathan Winch. Anderstone has a background in local campaigns including state legislature efforts and domestic partnerships. He is a regular contributor to media outlets in the Puget Sound region, having criticized President Donald Trump’s suspicions on late-arriving ballots in Washington state. ⁵ Rogers worked for 15 years in public communications and in K-12 education advocacy. She helps politicians and advocates on ballot measures and community committees pertaining to school funding. Van Putten has a background in environmental and civil rights activism, and has worked for the 2008 Obama campaign in Alaska and Indianapolis. Winch specializes in fundraising and campaign management, having previously worked for gubernatorial, state legislative, presidential, and nonprofit campaigns. ¹

1. “Home.” Progressive Strategies NW. Accessed April 4, 2025. https://www.progressivestrategiesnw.com/.
2. “Clients.” Progressive Strategies NW. Accessed April 4, 2025. https://www.progressivestrategiesnw.com/clients/.
3. “Services.” Progressive Strategies NW. Accessed April 4, 2025. https://www.progressivestrategiesnw.com/services/.
4. Krieg, Hannah. “How Local Political Consultants Make Their Money.” The Stranger, September 21, 2023. Accessed April 4, 2025. https://www.thestranger.com/elections-2023/2023/09/21/79175822/how-local-political-consultants-make-their-money.
5. Anderstone, Ben. “Trump calls them suspicious, but WA has counted late ballots for years.” Cascade PBS, October 30, 2020. https://www.cascadepbs.org/opinion/2020/10/trump-calls-them-suspicious-wa-has-counted-late-ballots-years.