What Most Aspiring Candidates Get Wrong

Starting a career in politics isn’t hard — if you know how to do it. There are four things you need to focus on: the knowledge you need to own, where to go to meet people who can be helpful to your political ambitions, what you should know about the art of making and keeping friends, and the skills you need to develop.

Let’s start with something fundamental. If you want to run for office someday, you are essentially asking voters for the power to fix a problem. The opinion leaders and voters you’ll encounter are not going to be impressed if you’re clueless about what’s going on in your community, your state, your country, or the world. Being informed isn’t optional. It’s the price of admission.

The Reading Habit Every Candidate Needs to Build

Here’s what you should be doing every single day. Glance at the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. You don’t have to read every article — scan the headlines to see what happened in the world the day before. If something catches your attention, read the full story.

If you have ambitions for federal office — Congress or the U.S. Senate — add Politico to your reading list. It covers Washington politics in more depth than either of the major papers. Think of it as required reading for political junkies.

Then think about your state and local jurisdiction. Is there a local newspaper that covers your community well? Is there a statewide publication you can rely on for accurate coverage of your state legislature and the policy debates happening there? Make it a daily practice to know what’s going on at every level — because you never know when you’ll run into someone influential who could help you, and you won’t impress them if you’re not informed.

One more resource: read The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Politics is civilized warfare. The tactics Sun Tzu describes — how to take advantage of an opponent, how to create surprise, how to wage a campaign when you have fewer resources — are directly applicable to running for office. Know the kind of combat you’re going to face before you face it.

Where to Go to Meet the Right People

The second way to build a political career is to develop a network of people who can be helpful to you. And there are certain places where your time is better spent than others.

Three words: volunteer, do, and join.

Your political party. This is the most important organization you can circulate with. Your local party has elected leadership, active members, and regular meetings. Go to those meetings. Show up at their events. Volunteer to help candidates they’re supporting. In doing so, you’ll meet people who could be genuinely helpful to you — people who know how campaigns work and who will remember that you showed up before you needed anything from them.

Candidates you believe in. If you see someone running for office whose values you share, volunteer for their campaign. You’ll make friends with the candidate — who could someday endorse or support you. You’ll meet experienced staff who understand politics. And you’ll run into other volunteers who are exactly the kind of engaged, motivated citizens you want in your own network.

Civic and community organizations. Get involved in organizations that do real work in your community — groups that deliver services to people in need, church outreach programs, service clubs like the Kiwanis or Lions Club, your local Chamber of Commerce. You don’t have to join all of them. Sample them. See which ones attract the kind of movers and shakers you want to know.

Here’s a personal example. Twenty-five years ago, I moved into a community where I didn’t know anyone. I attended a Kiwanis meeting, a Rotary meeting, a Lions Club meeting, and a Chamber of Commerce meeting — just to see what each was like. The Chamber was unlike anything else. The people were well-dressed, well-spoken, clearly well-connected, and every politician in the county was in the room. I knew then that this was the organization I needed to join and get involved in.  You can do the same kind of experimentation in your community to find the rooms that are worth being in.

The One Rule About Friendship That Candidates Forget

Meeting people is only the first step. The rule is simple: to make a friend, you have to be a friend.

When you meet someone at an event who seems influential and sharp, don’t let that connection go cold. That same evening, sit down and write them a thank-you note — a real one, by hand if possible — telling them how much you enjoyed meeting them and that you’d love to have coffee at their first opportunity. That will mean more than an email. When you have a friend is in need, be quick to respond. That’s how you make friends for life — and those are the people who will volunteer for your campaign, give you money, and vouch for you to others. Once you make a friend, work hard at keeping them. Call at least once a year. Send an occasion text or email. Remember their birthday. The names of their spouse and children. If they live near you, share an occasional coffee or meal. 

Why Public Speaking Is Non-Negotiable — And How to Get Good at It

There is one skill every candidate must have, and there’s never a better time to start developing it than right now: the ability to speak in public.

You cannot run for office if you can’t speak in front of people. But here’s the good news — it is an acquired skill. Nobody is born a great speaker. Every person who speaks well has worked hard at it. You can become a great speaker if you put your mind to it.

Invest in a coach — a speech coach or debate coach who can teach you how to articulate your thoughts on a stage, without a podium, without notes. The better you can speak, the better you can craft your words, the better you are at motivating people and moving them toward the cause you care about. Great speakers get noticed. Great speakers attract supporters. Great speakers win.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How early should I start building my political network before running for office?
A: The earlier the better — ideally two to three years before you plan to run. A network built slowly over time is far more valuable than one assembled in a hurry. People support candidates they know and trust, and that trust takes time to develop.

Q: Do I need to join a political party to run for office?
A: In most jurisdictions, running as a major party candidate requires you to be a registered member of that party. Even if you plan to run as an independent, attending party events and understanding how the local party operates gives you invaluable insight into the political landscape you’ll be competing in.

Q: What’s the best way to get better at public speaking if I’ve never done it before?
A: Hire a coach. It’s the fastest path to real improvement. In the meantime, join a local Toastmasters chapter to get regular practice in a low-stakes environment. The goal is to get comfortable speaking without notes — that’s the skill that matters most on the campaign trail. If you are lucky enough to live near a chapter of the National Speakers Association, join and go their meetings.

Q: What should I read to stay informed if I’m running for a local office?
A: Focus on your local newspaper and any statewide publication that covers your legislature. For local races, knowing what’s happening in your school board, city council, or county commission is more valuable than following national news. Know your community better than anyone else in the room. If you are running for national office like Congress or the US Senate, daily check the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and Politico.

Q: Is volunteering for someone else’s campaign really worth my time?
A: Absolutely. Volunteering puts you inside a real campaign, where you learn how things actually work — voter outreach, fundraising, messaging, events. You build relationships with experienced political operatives and with the candidate. Many successful political careers began on someone else’s campaign.

Want to Go Deeper?

Jay Townsend has spent 45 years helping candidates at every level — from city council to U.S. Senate — build winning campaigns. Browse the full library of free resources at JayTownsend.com, or subscribe to the YouTube channel for new campaign strategy videos every week.