The Campaign Workshop Blog

Political blogs as a news source can seem very 2004, but finding local- and state-specific perspectives on politics and communications is hugely important—it can help you develop a much-needed local perspective. Here at The Campaign Workshop, we enjoy reading national- and state-based political blogs to learn about local politics in states across the country and stay up to date on cutting-edge campaign innovation (during breakfast or otherwise!).

If political job hunting at any stage in life is a daunting process, searching for your first-ever political job as a young person can be completely demoralizing, especially in today's climate. While you may not be able to avoid all the headaches and meltdowns that accompany your transition into the "Real World," these tips for your first political job hunt will at least help you breathe more easily (and maybe even sleep at night) as you navigate.

Every year, campaigns are looking for cheap campaign staff who are willing to work long hours for low wages.  If you want to enter the field and you're smart and driven, you should be able to find a job. To be clear, it will likely take some time, and your first political campaign job might not be the exact job that you wanted. You will probably be required to travel, eat bad food, sleep in a house with way too many people, and work in an office that should have been condemned long before you arrived. Sound like fun? Then get on the road!

Here are some tips to begin your search for a campaign job.

A campaign job is a great way to gain political experience and responsibility quickly; however, not all campaign jobs are the same, and being a staffer is hard work. Whether you are looking at a long-term career in politics, using it as a stop on the way to grad school, looking for more meaningful work, or other paths, becoming a campaign staffer can be an important steppingstone. Below are some core choices folks make in the world of campaign jobs.

If job hunting at any stage in life is a daunting process, searching for your first ever political job as a young person can be soul-crushing. While you may not be able to avoid all the headaches and meltdowns that accompany your transition into the “real world”, these tips for your first political job hunt will at least help you breathe more easily (and maybe even sleep at night) as you navigate.

Having the correct team surrounding you when running a campaign is of the utmost importance, and a key step to ensuring that happens is putting together the right job descriptions for finding those folks and making sure you are asking for someone to apply for the role you actually need for your campaign. For example, say you need help raising money—you may think you need a treasurer, but what you are really looking for is a fundraising director. Below, you’ll find a complete list of campaign job descriptions that you might find in a moderately-sized race.

Everyone loves a good party, but when it comes to a campaign kickoff, the fun factor shouldn’t be the only thing driving your decision to host one. 

Events, especially those tied to political campaigns, require significant resources like time, money, and staff capacity. The return on investment (ROI) isn’t always easy to calculate. That’s why it’s crucial to take a strategic approach from the start. 

As you plan for the 2026 midterm elections with everything going on in the country, it may seem like things are out of your control. However, elections have consequences, and so does the work you do leading up to them. We are political realists, and a lot can happen between now and Election Day 2026. In this post, we will detail the historical trends of midterms, talk about contributing factors, and go through what Democrats and progressives can do now to make a difference in election outcomes this year.

By the title, this should be the shortest post in the history of our blog. The typical answer to this question, and the way we teach our candidates, is that the candidate has two main jobs: to raise money and to meet voters. But these tasks are often easier said than done.

As a first-time candidate, you’ll have a steep learning curve and a lot of information thrown your way. Whether you’re still deciding if you want to toss your hat in the ring or you’re just starting to get your campaign moving, it’s important to be critical of yourself and of the advice you hear to decide if you're ready to embark on this journey. 

Candidate recruitment is an important practice, but contrary to the popular myth about how candidates are identified and supported, someone from the DNC does not appear on your doorstep one day out of the blue and proclaim that you should be the next state rep from Omaha. Good candidate recruitment takes interested parties, both on the candidate and organizational side, who care about their community and organizations and want to see real change.

Reviewing your tools on a yearly basis can help with organizational clarity and costs. Looking at all your subscriptions and choosing based on your needs can yield strategic clarity. 

In our line of work here at The Campaign Workshop, there are a lot of common mistakes we see in political messaging. Getting political messaging right is more art than science. You need to take a lot of things into account, including timing, authenticity, emotion, contrast, your call to action, and more. Learn the common mistakes folks make in their political messaging and how to prevent them. 

Running an effective advocacy campaign demands more than just passion and good intentions. It takes skill, strategy, planning, and a whole lot of hard work. 

So, how do you cut through the noise, build support for your cause, and create real, lasting change? The following will give you some of the essential tips for running a winning advocacy campaign and building a roadmap for success.

Running a campaign on a tight budget? We get it. That’s why we compiled a list of free tools to include in your campaign toolbox to make your efforts more efficient. From launching your campaign to streamlining operations, these free tools can make a difference. 

In local non-partisan elections, ideology matters—and so does having a vision that spans beyond anti-Trumpism. Because nonpartisan officials control budgets and make a real impact in our local communities, it is worth your time as a candidate in one of these races to cultivate a clear and appealing platform in your campaign.

Over the years we have developed a list of The Campaign Workshop’s core values that align both with the company culture we want to foster and the staff members we want to attract.

When used right, the power of advocacy storytelling with data can help move your issue forward in a compelling way; when used wrong, it can make your issue more complex than it is and put your issue at the back of the pack. Learn how to effectively incorporate data into your advocacy storytelling and bring clarity and impact to your message.