The Great Battlefield Creative Political Communications with Raghu Devaguptapu of TKO Political
Mar 11, 2026
Raghu Devaguptapu, a Democratic media consultant and managing partner at TKO Political with decades of campaign experience. He talks about how ADHD and upbringing shaped his persuasion skills. He recounts shifts from committee work to founding a media firm, modernizing content and in-house buying, and tactical debates over media, messaging, and party infrastructure.
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From Student Activist To Campaign Operator
- Raghu started in student activism focused on student loan reform and moved into partisan campaigns after seeing policy impact.
- He credits work on Russ Feingold's 1998 re-election and Wisconsin statehouse roles for launching his career and practical training.
State Campaigns Are Driven By Finance And Culture
- Every state has a political culture shaped largely by campaign finance rules, which determines whether operations emphasize field, paid media, or other strengths.
- Raghu learned to adapt tactics state-by-state at the DLCC, teaching local teams to build on their strengths rather than impose one-size-fits-all plans.
Running AFSCME IEs Shaped His Media Career
- Raghu ran AFSCME's large independent expenditure program in 2008, which helped elect Obama and protect flipped congressional and senate seats.
- That cycle pushed him from oversight into hands-on ad approval and media execution, seeding his shift to TV ad work.