As we start a new election cycle, especially after unwelcome results, many people get the bug to join into the fray and become one of the most hated figures around...the politician. Who would want to be thrown into the biggest mud bath anyone could ever imagine? Certainly not average Joe citizen. It takes an above average citizen motivated to "make a difference" to withstand the power brokers and public pressure to become a successful servant of the people.
How does one become a politician? Let me put on my campaign manager hat and give you my official, "you may be a politician" test.
- If you love going to every bean feed in the county just to mingle with locals...you may be a politician.
- If you love knocking on doors to talk to strangers who would rather ignore you...you may be a politician.
- If you aren't afraid to ask every family member, friend, and distant relative to give you money...you may be a politician.
- If you are able to actually collect money from every family member, friend and distant relative...you may be a politician (or Donald Trump).
- If, after asking for money you are still able to get every family member, friend and distant relative to volunteer for your campaign...you may be a politician (or miracle worker).
Assuming you passed the above test, you are now ready to pass go and collect your first $200 in legal political contributions. But before you charge off and hit the campaign trail, take care to follow a few commen sense rules in Doctor Dan's political notebook.
- Be aggressive. Especially if you are a challenger, you need to be aggressive all the time and work twice as hard as the incumbent. If you are an incumbent, work hard, don't rely on the money, don't do anything stupid and the let the power of incumbency work for you.
- Be nice but not too nice. Nice guys can and do finish last. If you are a challenger, the fastest way to lose is to stay positive and never give a reason to fire the incumbent. At some point, every campaign has to turn negative. Accept it, and be ready for it.
- What you say is never as important as how you say it. I remember a former candidate for governor was fun to listen to, but all he did was tick people off with his tone and tactics. This resulted in driving up his negatives through the roof and driving his election into the ground. You do not win elections without the ability to inspire large numbers of people to vote for you.
- You need to be electable AND inclusive. There is no reason to exclude every voter from your message. Nor should you make it easy for people to discount the message and the messenger by not showing the proper respect for people and the process.
- You are only as good as the quality of your supporters. If you attract idiots, you'll have an idiot campaign.
- Money is not a replacement for grass roots support. It usually doesn't work to try and buy an election. People win campaigns.
- You can have fire in the belly but you still need to feed the furnace. You need enough money to be competitive. Passion is great but campaigns are expensive. You gotta pay the bills.
- When marketing yourself, now is not the time to be fiscally conservative. Often times, Republicans shoot themselves in the foot by not spending money when they should.
- Treat the media as your friend. But always remember, the media is NOT your friend. The media has a job to do. If you screw up, don't expect to be treated with kid gloves.
- Nothing good happens when you lose an election. There are no "moral victories" only winners and losers. Losers go home with NOTHING! Losing can be a great motivational tool, but in politics, it's a long time between races and there may never be a next time. Go for it NOW!
- Smile for your photo! Politics can and should be fun! I hate it when these self-righteous candidates refuse to smile for their official campaign photo. Politics is a very serious game, played for keeps. Play to win, but lighten up and have some fun. Volunteers don't want to work for a sour puss.
My company is Winning Ways Political Consulting Group.
