“I think you should run.” Those five words shook my world in March 2024. Surrounded by flashing lights, loud music, and paper petitions reflecting desire for change on every table, I heard those five words as if the room had fallen silent. “I think you should run.”
In today’s political climate, now is the time our communities need leaders with burning passion, palpable legal reasoning, and a vision that unites. Breaking into the political realm may seem unrealistic, as if the doorway is veiled in secrecy. In fact, the opposite is true. Take it from a first-time political candidate: That doorway is waiting for you to saunter through like you own the place. As you climb the steps up to the proverbial doorway of a political campaign, I hope you can rest easy on three personal truths I have learned to light my way.
1. There Is Never a Right (or Wrong) Time to Run for Office
Running for political office can easily become a full-time job. Not every role requires door-knocking every day and twice on Sundays. If you want to dip your toes in the political waters, consider a down-ballot race where the time and financial competition between candidates is less intense. Down-ballot races, such as those for municipal districts or transportation boards, often have tangible community impact despite being overlooked sometimes as lesser than their more advertised counterparts.