So, You Want to Run for Office…(Part 2)

Last month we talked about the preliminary steps a person should run through if they’re thinking of running for office. (Read the article here.) Now we’ll dig a little deeper and point out some very practical parts of the equation that hit on a personal level. And of course my closing thought from last time bears repeating once more here:

If you’d rather win the philosophical argument about why your political beliefs are the clearly correct ones than actually go out and meet the people who could become your proud supporters, running for office is probably not for you.

However, if rolling up your sleeves and grappling with the real-world (and sometimes small-bore) challenges of governance motivates you, the political process beckons with open arms. Can you solve problems? I don’t mean demagogue—I mean solve. Solutions which can be put forward and implemented with a real consensus are rarely easy, or somebody else in office would’ve already found them.

In other words, are you willing to listen, learn, help and then lead? Push forward when you feel that your ideas are right, even if they are unpopular? And on the flip side, can you admit when you don’t have the answers? Will you be able to break the mold of the politician as performer and sincerely relate to non-political (read=normal) people?

“Normal” people don’t spend all their free time thinking about the fact that federal outlays have doubled every 18 years since 1940¹. “Normal” people think about a few main, important things. Like making a living. Or raising a family. Things like safety and security. Hours spent stuck in traffic. How they’re going to pay their mortgage. What their most deeply-held, innermost religious convictions are. If you can’t speak to your friends, co-workers, neighbors and fellow citizens about these things your campaign is never even going to get off the ground.

Once you’ve answered these essential questions about yourself, it’s time to make a candid, thorough assessment of both the costs and benefits of a political run. You’ll need to put your life in order. That means checking the togetherness of your family or other relationships in terms of what a campaign will require of them. It also includes a sober look at your personal financial state. And your professional status and reputation.

Here’s a good rule of thumb I learned from a good friend and politico, Angela Faulkner of Gridiron Strategies: when decisions to run are announced, it should always be an “of course” moment for those who hear of it. Anyone who knows you should naturally assume that seeking public office was always going to be an extension of your personality and goals in life. You never want there to be a “What? Really? They’re running?!?” moment that takes place when your news gets out. No one should be surprised or shocked that you are daring to run and alter the status quo.

But run you will, and yes, some folks’ apple carts will be overturned. Because of this, you’ll have to investigate yourself before formally filing as a candidate for office. This means properly and comprehensively vetting yourself. Believe me, the media will if you won’t!

Learn to accept that “if it’s out there, it’s going to come out”, especially in our 24/7, interconnected world of social media, text messages, flip cams and YouTube. Perform a simple Google search of yourself as a starting point—but don’t be afraid to pay for a full background check–just as any opponent would–to see what sort of things (defaults? arrests? divorces? liens?) might be attached to your name.

Next it’s time to move from the internal to the external. To build out the structure of your campaign. You’re going to need volunteers—and tons of them. Where will you find these force multipliers, these armies of extra man-hours? Well the old adage of 20% of the people doing 80% of the work holds true here. Look to those individuals who’ve been active parts of other organized groups or who’ve put on successful events to be the nucleus of your team.

Recruit from allies! 2^nd Amendment, anti-tax or pro-life groups will each have committed passionate people within their ranks. And don’t forget small business owners in your community. Nobody understands or embodies do-it-yourself success like they do. Convincing them that getting you elected is a desirable outcome could lead not only to warm bodies on your race, but also plenty of in-kind donations of goods and services.

But don’t lose sight of the bigger battle while you’re fleshing out and then actually running your campaign. You’re the general, not a soldier in this fight. Getting confused about who is the candidate and who is the campaign manager² is the number one mistake new candidates make. Micro-managing (especially tempting today in our real-time data age) day-to-day efforts only keeps a candidate from staying focused on his or her single role: asking for support. Whether it’s volunteers, money or votes, a good candidate will spend almost all of their time asking for more of these, right up to the finish line.

New candidates will always need constant support from trusted advisors, plus that ready-made volunteer base already mentioned above. For further, more advanced training on how to most effectively run for office (e.g., fundraising; new media, etc.), American Majority can come in with its cutting-edge candidate or specialized tracks. But a declared candidate has almost all the responsibility for finding out what it takes to run and then getting it right.

They have to make sure they are continually informed about developing press or blog stories, policy decisions, and social media trends. A strong candidate also always positions himself or herself to be an asset to any and all surrounding local campaigns by “hardwiring” precincts (identifying where and how to harvest votes), conducting voter registration drives, and creating a robust presence online. Think of old-fashioned “slate” cards (combined campaign branding), build momentum where you can and remember that a rising tide lifts all boats.

Lastly, don’t be daunted! This is one of the most exciting political periods in recent American history. The explosion and growth of civic and liberty-minded individuals within the last two years will continue to yield great results across election cycles yet unseen. With the right preparation, you can smoothly enter the political process and make a direct, personal impact—adding to the quality and caliber of candidates serving the body politic for years to come.

¹William Voegeli, Never Enough: America’s Limitless Welfare State

²For one of the best pieces on essential roles in a campaign for lower-level office, please see Stephanie Naczelnik’s article: “Running Low Budget Campaigns” (and linked articles within) at https://hubpages.com/hub/Low-Budget-Campaigns

 

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