How would one go about running for office?

[Roland99]

I am really seriously considering doing this. But I have big aspirations and don't want to start at councilman/alderman level. ;)

I know it would take a LOT of money and would be a lot of stress and being raked by the media and opposing parties. But, perhaps it's best to start small and build a following?

[Nimrod]

1. 10 Easy Steps

1. Become rich.

2. Become richer.

3. Become richer than that.

4. Kiss the right ass to show you're "On the same page".

5. Become extremely rich.

6. Kiss some more ass to show you're a "Team player".

7. Forget what it was like to be an average American. Hypnotherapy can help here.

8. Become insanely, disgustingly, puke-inducingly rich.

9. Become evil and corrupt. (This step may be taken at any point, but is essential - most consider this Step #1.)

10. Pick a trendy cause to get yourself attention. Note that this MUST be one that will also bring more cash in for your superiors.

Yes, you too can rape... uh, reap the benefits of being a member of the ruling class.

[ConcernedNonpartisan]

3. All good points, however,

another approach would be to find a rich and powerful "friend", attach strings to each of your limbs, tuck your head up your butt and learn to dance.

[Nimrod]

5. Indeed

Also, there's always the "Grima Wormtongue" approach. With this one you can eliminate several steps, just by finding a beleaguered (but wealthy) would-be dictator and feeding him exactly what he wants to hear when he wants to hear it.

A note on this approach - you might consider refraining from posting pictures of yourself in your underwear on military-oriented male prostitution websites. This is merely a suggestion though.

[dmkinsey]

2. Kinda hard to start at the top

I'd start by showing up at your local Dem meetings. Participate. Contribute. Work for other candidates. Give the party a reason to help you.
Of course if you live in a place where your US Representative is a Republican you can probably run for that spot just by proving that you're alive.

[oneighty]

4. Yes

Register with the party which holds the majority in your area. (That really helps). Forget idealism, honor and integrity.

Start low and work your way up.

You will find most successful politicians do it this way.

Be pragmatic above ALL else.

This is not really sarcasm. In my area this is the way it works.

180

[dmkinsey]

10. I'm not sure we're on the same wavelength here

What I mean is
I live in a place where the US Rep is a Republican. He's unbeatable. No kidding. So my party can't get anybody to run against the Republican. Anybody sharp enough to have a chance is also sharp enough to know it's futile.
Consequently almost any nut can start at the top and run for US House.

[oneighty]

11. We are on the same page

I assume you wish to run as a Democrat in a Republican district.

I have done that. I was approached by Republicans (After I lost) and invited to join their party and then they would support me.

Now since you as a Democrat cannot win (As you say) switch to the Republican Party challenge the incumbent in the primary. Who knows?

After you win do whatever you want. Politics really works that way. It really does.

180

[Roland99]

8. I'm in KY

Republican Governor, Representatives (one being on the Appropriations committee and, admittedly, does a fair amount of good for this town), and Senators (one likely to be the next Senate Majority Leader)

[rabid_nerd]

6. You can shoot for local office* without party support, but to shoot high

You need a following, and it takes years, and you should earn it, not buy it.

* = in populations < 10K

It's better to earn it through results and experience than simply trying to be the "idea man", no matter the impulse otherwise.

And you need money, which I've had less than I should (my campaign committee fund currently stands at less than a dollar even though I am soon to declare for Mayor - HINT HINT)

In order to have a following, you need to lead somewhere, and to lead, you need to be a leader.

You need to produce real change, results. Prove that you're not "just ideas" and no follow through.

Through leadership you gain power, and power tends to corrupt. Resist that tendency and use the power judiciously. The power can be taken away at the next election.

As far as winning a contested election campaign, that's a different story.

There, you do need an insane amount of money, and insane amount of work, all according to a formula against what power and network of support you have in place already and your opponent's.

For a "nobody" against an incumbent, forget it without being rich or the best MLM marketing person in the world.

That said, I was a nobody and beat an incumbent. I won spending $250. But I ran for borough council and won by 13 votes in a "vote for 4 out of 5" ballot. No other candidate (all incumbents) campaigned for re-election, and I had every poll staffed all 13 hours on election day. Plus, this was a Democratic Primary I won in.. I then came in 3rd out of 4 in the General, with no Republicans running (all 4 Democrats won). I had won the only Republican nomination in a write-in though, with 15 write-ins in the primary.

I was 25 and defeated a 36-year incumbent in the primary.

[Dr.Phool]

7. Depending on the office you're seeking

First step, get involved in the local party, and do grunt work, to show you're serious. Meet the players.

After you've made your intentions known to them, no formal announcement necessary, Start raising funds. That's the hardest, most demeaning aspect of a campaign. You literally have to spend 8 hours a day on the phone begging people for cash.

Hire an experienced campaign manager, who has managed campaigns at the level of office you are seeking. There will be so much work to do that you won't have time to do it all. Not even a fraction.

You can get some valuable training at a Camp Wellstone. You can check out their program and schedule of camps at www.wellstone.org . It's invaluable and not that expensive. The first one I attended had teachers such as Roy Temple, who was Mel Carnahans chief of staff, and manager. He engineered the "Ashcroft loses to dead man" campaign. Also Jeff Blodgett, who was Wellstones campaign manager. You'll learn how to run an effective grassroots campaign.

And START EARLY!!!! Time is the only finite commodity you have. You can always raise more money, or recruit more volunteers, but you can't raise more time.

Good luck. I ran for Congress last year, and I know what it takes. It's a lot of work. And leave a picture of yourself on the kitchen counter for your wife, because she won't see you for a long time.

[Roland99]

9. Thanks, folks

Some very good points being raised.


It's time to start doing!

[Stop_the_War]

12. You would need alot of money, especially if you want to pay for ads....

[katinmn]

13. We need more progressive people to run for office

Thanks for thinking about diving in!

In addition to jumping in locally, think about getting national support.

Attend a Wellstone candidate training camp.

Contact the Dean People at DFA.

Get support from Progressive Democrats of America.

MoveOn does online fundraising for new progressive candidates and many of them have little or no experience. Check their website and see for yourself.

Good luck to you. :thumbsup:

[Roland99]

14. Thanks!

I certainly have a lot of research to be doing over the next few months. :)

[FogerRox]

15. I'm going to Camp Wellstone in NJ --in March

[Kerrytravelers]

16. I second Katinmn. This is exactly what I was going to suggest.

P.S. Where in KY? My family is from there. PM me if you want to.

[Roland99]

17. I'm in Louisville

Probably would have the best chance starting out here since it's about the only place with a sizable portion of population that hasn't been completely brainwashed or is completely apathetic to the news.

[Kerrytravelers]

18. My family is from Lewis County...

Vanceberg and Tollosboro to be exact.

Now, we only have family left in Station Valley. Even though they were raised in good Democratic homes, they have become gun nuts. Not gu owners, but NRA gun nuts.

[Roland99]

19. Seems the terms neo-liberal and neo-conservative are interchangeable

[madison2000]

20. I am attending a Wellstone training camp this weekend in Milwaukee

I am only interested in becoming better at grassroots activism, not in running for office. However, I am hopeful that I will meet people at this weekend who are interested in running for office, that I can support and volunteer for.

There are lots of us out here who are ready to get more involved in the political process and change things. I am glad that some people are willing to run! Hopefully we will all find each other.