Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapters
01 - The Candidate
02 - The Staff

Chapter One

The Candidate

Before you continue to entertain the notion of running for office, make sure your family and friends understand how much of a strain on your relationships a political campaign will be. You will be overwhelmed with responsibilities and will not have time for all of the personal obligations you once were. Many candidates believe they can have it all; they are wrong. Running for office is a serious commitment for both the candidate and their spouse.

If you do not have a political science degree, you should take some political science courses at the local community college. Even if you took a political science class several years ago you will need a refresher. Many professors will allow you to sit in on a few sessions to suit your schedule. They may also give class credit to campaign volunteers.

You will be asked many times, “Why do you think you are qualified to run for elected office?”. The short answer is there are no qualifications, but it is helpful for a candidate to have some of the following traits and resources:

A good military record, preferably a war veteran: Voters trust combat veterans to keep our military personnel away from unnecessary risk. Former military personnel also have the discipline and sense of purpose needed to win an election. Old photos of the candidate in dress uniform can be made into posters and medals should be displayed proudly at the candidate’s desk.

An advanced degree in business, law or political science: Voters want to know that the person they put in office can read and understand the bills before them. However, almost all of the lawmakers in this country rely on their legislative directors to brief them on these matters. A candidate that can read each bill himself and has the ability to understand them will attract informed voters.

Political experience in holding an office or working as a staffer: Former office holders and key staffers have a record to run on. They understand the ins and outs of working in government and can get better endorsements. Former office holders have full membership in the state party, giving them a better chance to receive the party endorsement and support early.

Good communication skills: If you have enough time and cannot afford a speech coach, enroll in Speech 101 at the local community college. Good public speaking is the most effective way to get the message out, while a bad speaker will ruin the best campaign. Remember how Howard Dean shot himself in the foot before you speak in public.

Personal wealth or a wealthy friend willing to start an Executive Committee: Effective campaigns are expensive; if the candidate is able to spend large sums of money to get elected then the problem is solved. If you are unwilling or unable to raise the needed funds you must form and executive committee to start a war chest. Executive Committee members are chosen by the Candidate among his/her friends, family and business associates. Members of the Executive Committee will use their contacts and influence to raise hard money, donated goods and services needed to run a successful campaign. The Committee will meet once a week to discuss fundraising and their progress. All moneys generated by the committee should be turned over to the campaign treasurer.

An active member of the Republican Party for over 5 years: There are many people that jump into politics on a whim and expect to get elected on their first attempt. State and County party regulars tend to avoid candidates that have not paid their dues. Those that donate money to the party and only attend fundraisers and dinners are appreciated but not respected. You should attend every party meeting and assist other candidates if you expect help when you need it.

Have more than one issue: Conservatives are compassionate about many issues, but not all Republicans care about all conservative issues. If your candidate cannot articulate an opinion on issues the voters care about they won’t be elected. Also, if you can’t get excited about three or more issues you need to find a new way to serve your country.

Has good name recognition: A strong name with good name recognition can make a big difference. A name easy to spell and pronounce will avoid repeated embarrassment when the media and hosts at speaking engagements announce your candidate. A name consistent with the ethnic background of the majority of the constituents works well.

Has never been associated with drugs, crime or pornography sales/distribution: You would be surprised how often this is a problem. Even a conviction 30 years old will come up during the campaign and former acquaintances will crawl out from every direction with outlandish accusations. In some places owning a convenience or video store that carried adult material can be enough to label a candidate a pornographer.

Has lived in the district for at least 5 years: You don’t want to be labeled as a political carpetbagger. It is important to understand and be invested in the district you wish to represent. If you have both a business and a home in the district you can be presented as a local with strong community ties.

Holds a membership in at least 3 conservative PAC’s or clubs: A minimum of a membership in the state party, the county party and a local political service club is needed for a candidate to generate the needed support to win an election. If your town doesn’t have a Republican club you should start one. This will ensure a local endorsement for the candidate. Membership in the RNC is optimal.

Has been married for 10 or more years and has never divorced: Ex-wives can do a lot of damage to a candidate. Long term relationships give people the skills to deal with stressful situations and find a compromise. If you are in a stable, trusting and loving relationship you will avoid a sea of problems and low morale. Married people also have a better grasp of what is important.

Is a member in good standing of a local church: Churches provide a steady source of volunteers and are a good place to network. Churches will often allow a candidate to speak in front of the congregation at the end of the service. If planned correctly, you can speak in up to three churches every Sunday. However, there is fine line between the sublime and the profane; you must not to use your religion as a shield or sword. Do not alienate the voters that believe in the separation of church and state.

Has a large circle of friends and family willing to help: You will need a lot of volunteers willing to put in many hours of work. Friends and family have a vested interest in your future success and make the best campaign workers. You have to nail down volunteer commitments long before you file to run for office. Again, if you have a rich relative they should be consulted very early in the campaign.

Very few people would qualify as the perfect candidate. You may not have all of the traits and resources above, but neither did Ronald Regan and he did OK. If you learn the “job” of candidate early and are fully committed to running a professional campaign, you can overcome a few shortcomings.

As a politician you must at all times watch what you say, where you go, who you speak to and what you wear. You can no longer answer the door in your pajamas or hang out in bars (if your name’s not Kennedy). You must assume that everything you say and do will be recorded and made public. Politicians will often make inappropriate jokes in private that end up on the evening news; don’t let this happen to you.

Unless you have a criminal record, most of your past will be ignored. Incumbents in safe seats won’t take the time to interview every ex-girlfriend or college roommate with an axe to grind. For someone from your past to be taken seriously about an allegation, they would have to produce proof and witnesses before any creditable news source would touch it. In many State and local races, even proof wouldn’t muster much coverage. In short, no one cares if you were a wild teenager, as long as you have no felony record or addictions.

If you are able to hire a fashion consultant to help you present the proper image, you should do so. Image Consultants are essential to a broadcast media campaign and would work closely with your media director. Bellow is an excerpt from “The Republican Punkx Handbook”.

The Media Director and the public relations crew are also responsible for how the candidate dresses and grooms. One candidate asked, “If Dana Rohrabacher can attend a debate in a Hawaiian shirt and tan shorts why can’t I wear what I want to wear?” I replied, “He’s Dana Rohrabacher and your not.” Standard candidate wardrobe is as follows:

MEN: Two piece suits (blue, gray and tan), power ties, fitted shirts (solid, bright colors), polished business shoes, no jewelry except a wedding ring, no facial hair and a conservative haircut. In cases where events demand less formal attire, a fashion consultant should be hired to help the candidate choose an appropriate look. The candidate will wear makeup for television appearances. If we learned nothing else from the Nixon/Kennedy debates we should remember how washed-out and pail Mr. Nixon looked on television. People watching the debate on T.V. thought Kennedy had won, while those listing on the radio thought Nixon won. Mr. Nixon could have benefited from the skills of a professional makeup artist.

WOMEN: Many wardrobe decisions for ladies must be made with an eye toward fashion trends. Of course the pants suits and skirt suits used for business attire will be a female candidates standard uniform. At events that the candidate must wear a formal gown, a fashion consultant, makeup artist and hairdresser will help her make wise image decisions.

Now that you look good, you must brush up on your public speaking skills. If you cannot hire a speech coach, you should sign up for a speech class at the local community college. Public speaking is your most important tool and must be sharpened. Practice each speech in front of your family and staff until it sounds natural.

One bad speech will be forgotten, but don’t make a habit of it. You should have at least one short campaign speech memorized as well as talking points for the media. However, when speaking to individuals and small groups you should not spout any rehearsed material, it comes across as phony. Just thank people for their support and answer their questions honestly.

Networking is another essential tool for the ‘would be’ politician. If you are not comfortable in social situations you will find it almost impossible to raise money and support. Contact local party head quarters and start attending meetings, fundraisers and events. Start meeting people and collecting business cards; you should write notes on the back of these cards to remind you of who they are and where you met them. Keep all of the business cards you collect in a box on your desk at home.

A tip to remembering people you meet at events: When you get home from an event, write a journal entry about each person you collected a card from, and what you talked about. Review your past journal entries before each event. As people become more important to your campaign/cause, build a file on them and maintain it. (Excerpt from the Republican Punkx Handbook)

You should also attend Political Action Committee (PAC) meetings of organizations that would support your platform (for example: NRA for the second amendment candidate). These organizations are good sources for support when you are ready. Later, after you declare your candidacy, you will want to request endorsement questionnaires from these groups.

There are many things you must do before you are ready to hire a staff. If you are serious about winning the election, you must make a two or five year plan and follow it. This plan should include a list of goals (political and financial) and a time table of when each goal should be achieved. It should also have a fundraising and expenses plan as well as a volunteer recruitment plan.

Running for office is serious business; the key word being “business”. It will take all of your time, most of your money and you won’t see any results for several months. You must dedicate yourself to winning; no freshman, Republican Congressman was ever elected on a half-assed campaign.