About Us
Our Strategy
Regular people can run for office
We believe that we need more everyday Americans in office. At every level of government, there are elected officials who are out of touch with the lives of regular people. This is due in part to the fact that most people who are in office are wealthy. Working class people often cannot afford to run.
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Southwest Strategies knows this because our founder is a working class mom. She has developed many quick and cheap ways to get campaigns off the ground and to keep them going.
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We are here to help you run, not rip you off.
Our Values
01
Integrity
Southwest Strategies will never sell you something just to make a buck. We will tell you what you need and what is possible.
02
Honesty
We will level with you on the good and the bad. We will always work for you, the candidate, not vendors, insiders, or wonks.
03
Tenacity
Running a grassroots campaign is tough. We are tenacious and we are looking for clients who are ready to get out there and make things happen!
Our Team
Cindy Banyai, Ph.D. - President, Principal Consultant, Founder
20+ years of consulting and community development
Dr. Cindy Banyai is the principal consultant and founding partner of Southwest Strategies. She was a two-time Democratic nominee for US House of Representatives, Florida 19. Through her campaigns, she employed the skills she used as a nonprofit management consultant and community development specialist to run successful grassroots campaigns in a tough red district. Her strategy of high levels of community engagement, sharp messaging, and small-dollar fundraising led her to outperform projections in both races, even moving the district one point in the Democratic direction according to Cook Political in 2020 and outrunning all statewide Democrats by 2-4 points in 2022. She knows what it's like to run a hand to mouth campaign and she wants to share that knowledge with you!​
​Dr. Cindy Banyai is the founder and CEO of Southwest Strategies. She started the company in response to the need for support of grassroots Democrats running across Florida, especially those running in heavily red districts. Dr. Cindy Banyai was the 2022 Democratic Candidate for US House of Representatives Florida District 19 and the 2020 Democratic Nominee. Cindy successfully raised over $200,000 as a first-time candidate in an R+13 district and closed the gap from the last presidential cycle with over a 4.6% increase in the Dem vote. She was the most efficient vote shifter in 2020 and among the Top 5 vote movers in Florida, needing only $4.14 a vote to move almost 50,000 votes. In 2024, Dr. Banyai came within 77 votes, 1.5%, of flipping a Fort Myers City Council seat held by an incumbent with 20 times more funds raised.
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She is a leader in the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida, President of the Democratic Women’s Club of East Lee County, and President of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida – Lee County. Additional political work from Dr. Banyai includes building a 50-candidate bipartisan coalition to make accommodations for candidates during the COVID pandemic and supporting the 2020 statewide effort to recruit and run candidates in all Florida legislative races.
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In 2023, Dr. Banyai started the political consulting firm Southwest Strategies. Working together with other former Florida candidates, Dr. Banyai supported over 20 candidates during the 2024 campaign cycle and played a pivotal role in filling every race in Florida with a Democratic candidate. Southwest Strategies 2024 candidates improved on prior cycles’ performance from 1-5 points, a major accomplishment in a year that saw heavy Democratic losses across the state.
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She interned twice in Congress, with both Democratic and Republican leaders, before taking an opportunity to travel to Asia. Once overseas, Cindy completed a Master’s and PhD from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan with her research focusing on community development, public administration, evaluation and governance. Her works have been published in peer-reviewed journals and she has edited and contributed to several books on public administration and community development. Dr. Banyai has worked with civil society leaders and government officials from more than 25 countries and hundreds of Southwest Florida nonprofits through her consulting work. Cindy also competed as a sponsored pro boxer from 2005 to 2009. This sport taught her how to prepare for a fight, plan attacks, anticipate opponents, and use those advantages to win.
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Dr. Banyai teaches in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Florida Gulf Coast University. She received the Donald W. Littrell New Professional Award in 2015 from the Community Development Society for her work on regional initiatives at the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and for her commitment to community-based advocacy organizations such as BikeWalkLee. Dr. Banyai served the field of community development as the President of the Community Development Society and representative to the United Nations for the International Association for Community Development, an NGO with UN consultative status. In recognition of her evaluation work, she received the 2018 Evaluation Advocacy and Use Practice Award from the American Evaluation Association.
Additionally, Dr. Banyai started Big Mouth Media in 2022. She saw the need for more progressive media, especially in Florida, so she launched the company featuring articles and podcasts, including hosting her own show, Dr. Cindy Speaks. Later she expanded Big Mouth Media to include an online liberal merchandise shop and publishing company. The Big Mouth Media Network now reaches tens of thousands of listeners and viewers a month.
 
Danika Joy Fornear - Vice President, Communications Director
Organizing and fighting for the cause
From wrestling alligators to taking on political power structures, Danika Fornear has always been fearless. A veteran journalist, she spent 12 years uncovering hard truths, amplifying unheard voices, and holding the powerful accountable. Her expertise in investigative reporting, media relations, and storytelling made her a natural force in grassroots organizing, campaign messaging, and digital strategy.
In 2020, Danika worked with over 100 candidates across Florida, helping them run campaigns during the height of the pandemic. By 2024, she helped make history—providing the footwork and communications that ensured, for the first time in nearly 30 years, a Democrat ran in every House and Senate district, successfully fielding 140 candidates in every race for the Florida legislature.
A two-time candidate for Florida State House (2020, 2024), Danika knows firsthand the challenges of running in tough districts. Now, she helps others craft bold campaigns, design compelling visuals, and connect authentically with voters. As a skilled graphic designer and social media strategist, she transforms ideas into eye-catching, high-impact messaging that wins hearts and minds.
Danika currently works as a writer, editor, and graphic designer for Big Mouth Media, a large network of publications and products dedicated to independent journalism. Rooted in Florida’s rural communities, she has spent her life fighting for working families, environmental protections, and small-town values. Whether designing a campaign, shaping a movement’s message, or strategizing for change, she brings the same grit, passion, and relentless energy that once made her a standout in the newsroom—and the alligator pit.
Rachel D. Brown - Partner Consultant, Primary Field Strategist
Grassroots campaigns are her thing!
Rachel Brown was the 2020 Democratic Nominee for Florida Senate 27. She is an environmental activist. She has been a part of many campaigns including the Right to Clean Water ballot initiative, the Florida Cannabis Act, the Sunrise Movement and the 2020 climate strikes. She brings her expertise as a legislative candidate in terms of strategy and operations for grassroots campaigns, as well as financial record keeping and compliance.
Megan Vargas - Administrative Director
Insider knowledge for your campaign
Meagan brings two decades in politics to the table. She has worked in administrative roles in the Senate and federal administration. Meagan really knows the nuts and bolts of political offices and campaigns. She contributes her talents here in scheduling, events, and communications.