Campaign-In-A-Day Student Profile: Jackson Allen

In 2016 American Majority held our first Campaign-In-A-Day event in July in Ohio with 70 students. Fast forward to 2019 where this summer we have traveled to 7 states to train over 400 students and adults through our traditional Campaign-In-A-Day, training as well as the new Campaign-In-A-Day Snapshot, and our Campaign-In-A-Week programs. This profile series of blog posts are this summer’s attendees experiences with the event.

Name: Jackson Allen
From: Georgetown, TX
Education/Occupation: Freshman at Campbell University majoring in Economics-Pre Law and participating in their BB&T Business Fellows program. Currently serving as the Governor for the National Patriot Academy. 
Campaign-In-A-Days Attended: Patriot Academy Texas 2017, 2018, 2019

I participated in CIAD at Patriot Academy in 2017 and 2018. My experience with CIAD gave me the rare chance to be a high school student hired on a U.S. congressional campaign.  My role on Congressman John Carter’s campaign was as part of a campaign team that executed the ground strategy in our district. Learning how to analyze data and craft public responses in CIAD was something that prepared me well to be on the front lines of a tight and contested race.  On our campaign, we had great strategists that I learned so much from in 2018.  Returning to CIAD for 2019, I saw so many parallels in the strategy of a real campaign and the strategy you learn during CIAD.  Between my experience in actual campaigning and the training I gained from CIAD, I am now well equipped to run a local campaign at 19 years old. 

A real campaign is a grind and a close campaign produces many deadlines and intense moments that require a measured response and plan based on facts and data, not feelings.  CIAD simulates this 4-5 months process in 4-5 hours as best as possible. CIAD requires you to stick to the facts and produce a response based on a strategy to win. I have been in many roles during CIAD including campaign manager in 2019. All of these roles simulate the decisions and time constraints of a real campaign really well.  

My advice to any future CIAD attendees would be to take it very seriously.  It is a real experience that will teach you the fundamental truths of a campaign. CIAD shows the reality that most of the impact of a campaign comes from the strategy and execution of that strategy behind the scenes, not just the candidate in front of the camera. I worked on multiple campaigns in high school, and I would advise anyone to do that because it gives you a lot of real world experience and responsibility. Campaigns are always looking for volunteers, and once you gain experience in this field, you can open up a world of knowledge, wisdom and connections. 

I would recommend CIAD to anyone looking to understand and be trained for campaigns and politics.