Political High

I hate to be a whining, crying nag.  Really I do.

I took a few days off after the election.  You probably did too if you were a candidate or campaign manager.

But now it is time to either quit celebrating or licking your wounds.  Have you done the following?

• Paid your outstanding campaign bills?
• Thanked your volunteers and supporters?
• Done a final accounting on campaign contributions and expenditures for your reports?
• Picked up all your yard signs?
• Had a celebration for your good effort?
• Debriefed with staff and supporters about what worked and didn’t work?

Most candidates I know have the political bug.  Even if they lose, most are ready to run again after a break.

It sometimes takes two or three times to run before you win.  It takes people getting to know you or at least recognize your name.

Keep busy with your other community activities and Party activities.  That will keep your name out there.  More importantly, you’ll be building a resume of accomplishments that you’ve done for your organizations and boards.

In the coming days and weeks, I’ll have more on how to set the baseline for your next campaign.

Everyone talks about the election winners.  Makes sense.  They won.  They’re going to courthouses, capitals, and Capitol Hill to go serve us.

But the losers–seems like a harsh word–whose who did not prevail–deserve some praise and attention.

Thank you for running.  You gave the voters the choice of your ideas, your experience, and your personality.  You tested your opponent.

Now, take a few days off.  Wipe your tears.  Get your anger and disappointment out of your system.  Reintroduce yourself to your family.

Then, get back to work on how you’ll win next time.

Here are some thoughts:

• Review your election results precinct by precinct.  What was the turnout?  Where were you strong?  Where were you weak?  Can you identify or relate efforts to results?
• Write thank yous.  Thank EVERYONE who you can identify who helped.  It’s your first campaign piece for the next election.
• Pay your campaign bills.  Now.  Leave no vendor unpaid.  They will talk bad about you if you do.
• File your campaign finance reports.
• Hold a debriefing with your campaign staff, top volunteers, and state or local campaign officials.  What do they think worked and didn’t work?
• If you need to make more (fill in the blank here) Party voters to overcome the other side’s registration advantage, get with your state and local party officials and ask them, point blank, what they are going to do with you to help narrow the registration gap.  You can’t start too soon on this.
• Review your campaign plan.  Did you follow it?  If not, why not?  What would you do differently?
• Take down your campaign signs.  Many localities have a deadline.  Plus, people are sick of looking at them.  Do it now.

Thank you again for your hard work, dedication, and being in the democratic fray.  And better luck next time!