Are You Solving the Wrong Problem?

From the Other Side of the Table Series • Part 2

By Shannon Jones

One of the biggest reasons advocacy efforts stall out in red-state policymaking isn’t a lack of passion—or even evidence. It’s a deeper disconnect: too many advocates are solving for the wrong problem.

That may sound blunt, but I’ve seen it over and over again—first as a Republican legislator and congressional staffer, and now as a county commissioner and consultant. Well-intentioned proposals are dismissed not because the ideas are bad, but because they don’t reflect the policymaker’s lived reality—or the needs of the people they represent.

Too often, advocates lead with solutions designed around their own worldview, without first asking:

• What problem does this policymaker think they were elected to solve?

• And how does this issue show up in their community?

If you’re not solving the same problem—or even agreeing on what the problem is—you’re not going to get traction, no matter how strong your proposal is.

In some circles, there’s an unspoken assumption that conservative lawmakers don’t care—or that their priorities are somehow less legitimate. That bias doesn’t just alienate potential allies. It leads to poorly framed proposals, missed opportunities, and policy efforts that go nowhere.

Many advocates believe that strong data and powerful stories should be enough to carry the day. And yes—those are necessary. But they’re not sufficient. Not if the data and stories don’t align with the core values of the policymaker and the lived experiences of their constituents. Even the most compelling narrative will fall flat if it doesn’t speak to what the legislator actually prioritizes.

Sharing a story about a struggling parent may evoke empathy, but if the lawmaker sees the core issue as government dependency, the story doesn’t build support—it builds resistance. Similarly, long-term ROI data won’t persuade someone whose top concern is this year’s budget.

At On Key Strategies, I help clients take a step back and reassess their starting point—not their mission, but their framing. We look at how the issue shows up in a red district.

• What are the kitchen-table concerns?

• What does this policy change mean for families, employers, or schools in that legislator’s world?

Because if you’re not solving the problem the lawmaker believes needs solving, you’re not going to be part of the solution.

Take paid family leave. Many advocates frame it as a worker protection issue or focus on its moral imperative—emphasizing what families deserve in a just society. Those are important values, but they’re not persuasive to every policymaker. In red states, that message can sound like a mandate or an expanded entitlement. But what if the frame shifted?

What if, instead, we talked about paid family leave as a pro-family, pro-work policy? One that reinforces personal responsibility, supports strong parenting and unified families, and helps small businesses retain valuable employees during life’s most critical moments?

But that reframing can’t ignore reality. Paid leave does have a real impact on business operations—especially for small employers with thin margins. And pretending otherwise undermines your credibility. Just because something is good for families doesn’t mean it’s cost-free for business. If you want to persuade, you have to engage with that tension head-on—and make the case that the policy is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do, even with its tradeoffs.

That’s a different conversation. And it starts by acknowledging what the policymaker and their constituents value—and then solving for that.

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This isn’t about abandoning your values. It’s about understanding theirs. And when you do, you create space for alignment, trust, and actual movement.

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That can feel disheartening—especially when your work is grounded in compassion and evidence. But changing the frame doesn’t mean changing your mission. It means choosing to be effective.

So, ask yourself: Are you solving the problem they believe exists? Or are you solving the one you wish they saw?

If it’s the latter, you’re not just missing the message. You’re missing the point.

The good news? Once you align your message with their lens—and the realities of their voters—you don’t just get heard. You get invited back.