Case Study

How We Turned a Competitive Race Into a Landslide Victory

Judge Gregory Klaus — Bastrop County Judge — Republican Primary 2026

63.8%
Final Vote Share
+65%
Vote Increase
+27.6
Point Victory Margin

The Victory

Klaus Win — 2026 Republican Primary

From Competitive Race to Decisive Mandate

In 2022, Judge Gregory Klaus won the Republican primary for Bastrop County Judge with a solid but competitive 54.75% of the vote — a margin of just 9.5 points over his opponent, Don Loucks. While a win is a win, the narrow margin left the door open for a stronger challenge in 2026.

The campaign faced a returning opponent in a political environment with increasing voter turnout. The central challenge was clear: don't just win again — establish an undeniable mandate that solidifies Judge Klaus's position as the overwhelming choice for Bastrop County.

SkyAbove Political was engaged to deploy a comprehensive digital strategy that would not only retain the existing base but capture the attention and support of new and undecided voters in an increasingly crowded information landscape.

2022 Primary Results
2022 Republican Primary Results showing Gregory Klaus at 54.75% with 3,385 votes and Don Loucks at 45.25% with 2,798 votes
54.75%
Klaus Vote Share
9.5 pts
Victory Margin

An Integrated Digital Dominance Strategy

SkyAbove Political implemented a multi-faceted digital strategy designed to dominate the online conversation and persuade voters with targeted, relevant messaging. This was not just a series of ads — it was a comprehensive ecosystem built for political success.

🌐

High-Performance Campaign Website

We built a modern, fast, and mobile-friendly website at electgregoryklaus.com that served as the central hub for all campaign activities. The site was engineered from the ground up for peak performance in both traditional SEO and emerging AI-driven search — ensuring Judge Klaus's official messaging dominated Google results and AI assistant responses.

🎯

Hyper-Targeted Meta Advertising

Leveraging the power of Facebook and Instagram, we launched hyper-targeted ad campaigns using advanced audience segmentation. We delivered specific messages to distinct voter groups based on demographics, interests, and past voting behavior — highlighting proven conservative leadership, fiscal responsibility, and public safety.

AI & SEO Visibility Dominance

We proactively optimized for the new frontier of information discovery. When voters asked ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity about the candidates, Judge Klaus's positive messaging was the most prominent and authoritative result. This ensured the campaign controlled its own narrative across every platform.

📊

Intelligence-Driven Messaging

Our strategy was continuously informed by SkyAbove's proprietary Campaign Intelligence tools. We monitored the digital landscape in real-time — tracking opponent messaging, social media sentiment, and search trends — allowing us to adapt messaging on the fly and maximize every dollar spent.

Targeted Ads That Moved Voters

Every piece of creative was designed with purpose — from GOTV reminders with specific early voting dates to community-focused imagery that reinforced Judge Klaus's deep roots in Bastrop County. These ads were deployed across Facebook and Instagram with precision targeting.

Re-Elect Gregory Klaus - Bastrop County Judge campaign sign
Re-Elect Judge Gregory Klaus campaign ad with courthouse background
Proven leadership, proven results campaign ad
Early voting reminder ad for Gregory Klaus
Gregory Klaus at community parade event
Deployed on: Facebook FeedFacebook StoriesInstagram FeedInstagram StoriesInstagram ReelsAudience Network

The Playbook Behind the Landslide

01
🖥️

Built an AI-Optimized Campaign Website

We designed and developed electgregoryklaus.com as a high-performance digital hub — fast, mobile-first, and structured for maximum visibility in both Google search results and AI-powered assistants. When voters searched for information about the Bastrop County Judge race, Judge Klaus's messaging was front and center.

02
🎯

Deployed Hyper-Targeted Meta Campaigns

Using advanced audience segmentation on Facebook and Instagram, we created distinct ad sets for different voter personas. Conservative primary voters received messaging about fiscal responsibility and public safety. New registrants saw GOTV ads with early voting dates and polling locations. Every impression was intentional.

03
👥

Dominated the AI & Search Landscape

We ensured that when voters asked AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity about the Bastrop County Judge race, the information returned was accurate, positive, and aligned with the campaign's messaging. This proactive approach to AI visibility gave the campaign an edge in the new frontier of voter research.

04
📈

Real-Time Intelligence & Optimization

SkyAbove's proprietary War Room tools provided 24/7 monitoring of opponent activities, social sentiment, and emerging narratives. This allowed us to adapt creative and targeting in real-time, counter-attacking negative themes before they gained traction and doubling down on messages that resonated.

A Resounding Victory

0
Total Votes Won
0
Vote Increase
0
Victory Margin
0
New Voters Captured
2026 Primary Results — Final Bastrop County, TX
2026 Republican Primary Results showing Gregory Klaus at 63.82% with 5,602 votes and Donald Loucks at 36.18% with 3,176 votes
Head-to-Head Comparison
Metric 2022 2026 Change
Klaus Votes 3,385 5,602 +2,217 (+65.5%)
Klaus Vote Share 54.75% 63.82% +9.07 pts
Victory Margin 9.5 pts 27.6 pts +18.1 pts
Total Turnout 6,183 8,778 +2,595 (+42.0%)
Opponent Votes 2,798 3,176 +378 (+13.5%)
Vote Totals Comparison
Bar chart comparing vote totals between 2022 and 2026
Victory Margin Growth
Horizontal bar chart showing victory margin growth from 9.5 to 27.6 points
Who Captured the New Voters?
Bar chart showing Klaus captured 85% of new voter growth
Vote Share Transformation
Pie charts comparing 2022 and 2026 vote share

Intelligence Wins Elections.

The 2026 re-election campaign of Judge Gregory Klaus is a definitive example of how a modern, intelligence-driven digital strategy can produce extraordinary results. By seamlessly integrating a high-visibility website, precision-targeted social media advertising, and real-time campaign intelligence, SkyAbove Political empowered the campaign to not only win — but to achieve a powerful mandate.

Judge Klaus increased his vote total by 65.5%, expanded his victory margin from 9.5 to 27.6 points, and captured 85% of all new voters. This is what happens when intelligence meets execution.