Four Candidate Questions
Four Questions to Answer before Running for Office
Running for political office changes many aspects of your life. Before jumping into a campaign, we ask all our clients to think through four questions that help them evaluate the opportunity.
FIRST QUESTION: Why are you running for this office?
This question is likely the first thing your friends, family, and voters will ask you when they find out you are running for office. People will want to know your motivations before they can decide whether to trust you or your decision. You need to have a good answer at the ready.
We encourage our clients to sit down with pen and paper and then write down all the motivations they have for pursuing a political office. This list is for you: you don’t need to show it to anyone, but you need to be honest with yourself. Don’t hold back.
Once the motivations are in black-and-white on the page, begin to identify the motivations you have that voters would think are a good deal for them. Is there something you learned from a significant experience in your life that you would share with others? Is there a particular problem you think must be solved? Does your motivation extend from a track-record of service in the community? Any of these motivations would be convincing to a voter. They will work if they are true.
Once you have worked through your own motivations for running, you will feel more comfortable putting yourself forward in the campaign.
SECOND QUESTION: What sort of impact will running for office (and serving in the office) have on your closest relationships and the way in which you support yourself or your family financially?
Do the people who are closest to you think this is a good idea? Do they think you will be good at the job you seek? Do they support you in this endeavor? What sort of obligations and commitments already claim your time? Is there any flexibility in your schedule? If you run your own business, can it survive if you lessen your involvement? If you are employed, will this campaign require that you find new employment? If you already hold a political office, do you need to resign to run for the new one? When you win, can you afford to serve financially? Can your family accommodate the new schedule required by the demands of the political office?
It might be impossible to answer each of these questions with 100% satisfaction before you begin, but you need to get as close as you can. Campaigns are tough on relationships, and most honest politicians find that serving in political office is a financial sacrifice. It is important to begin any campaign with a realistic plan for how you will address your relationships and finances throughout the process.
THIRD QUESTION: What are your immediate roadblocks to success?
Every campaign faces challenges along the way. What are the challenges that you know about right now that the campaign will need to address from the beginning? Do you live in the district you hope to represent? Have you run for office before and failed? Does a popular incumbent hold the office you seek? Are you running as a Republican in a district that usually votes for a Democrat? Have you been involved prominently in any matter of local controversy?
Most roadblocks can be addressed by the campaign. Admittedly, some roadblocks are disqualifying, but if you are a serious candidate, those disqualifying challenges are few and far between. The real goal of the question is to be prepared for what you will face in the campaign. For campaigns, surprises tend to be a bad thing. Don’t be the author of your own surprise by not thinking through the challenges you will face from the first moment you announce your candidacy.
FOURTH QUESTION: How will you fund the campaign?
Political campaigns are expensive endeavors. Very few candidates are in the position to write a check that covers the cost of the campaign. But even in the rare situations where someone could self-finance the entire operation, we still encourage those clients to raise money.
Why is fundraising so important that we encourage candidates to do it even if they are willing to pay for the campaign personally? Simply put, raising money for the campaign makes you a better candidate.
There is something humbling about calling people up, whether friends or strangers, and asking them to support your campaign. It is important for all candidates to go through the process of asking other people to support what they are doing. The support seeking process begins with fundraising, but then it continues when candidates seek endorsements from people or groups, and it culminates when they ask voters for their vote. If candidates can’t ask for support with humility and confidence, then they cannot win. Fundraising is excellent training.
But asking alone is not good enough. Candidates must succeed at raising money or they will lose the campaign. The funding side of the campaign is unforgiving. If you cannot pay for the campaign, no matter your other excellent qualities, you are not a good candidate.
Are you willing to talk with both friends and strangers about supporting your campaign financially? Are you willing to do this every day? If not, running for office will be very difficult.
A good consultant will teach you the fundraising process and will help you evaluate your relative chances of fundraising success. Professionals can provide lists, and guidance, and organizational help. But the initiative rests with the candidate. Are you willing to put in the work?
