Candidate

What does a political candidate actually do? 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.

Campaigns for local candidates are different than those for bigger races. While you will still have to work to raise money, local candidates will depend in large part on the community for the resources and volunteers that they need. Local candidates also tend to go without the aid of consultants or those with expensive experience working on a lot of campaigns.

Races are heating up, but there are a number of exciting opportunities for Democrats up and down the ticket. Here are some tips to jumpstart your Democratic campaign: