Ready to Run: Running an Effective Campaign
- Emily Kertz Lampkin, President of Lampkin Group
- China Gum, Political Director at Raul Labrador for Idaho
- Emily Walton, Secretary of External Communications, Associated Students of Boise State University
- Mayor Tammy de Weerd, City of Meridian
- Moderator: Karianne Fallow, Public Affairs Practice Group, Red Sky PR
Mayor Tammy de Weerd
Tammy de Weerd got involved in politics because she was a mom who wanted more parks for her kids. Then, her community had 2 parks. Today Meridian has 19.
She is passionate and focused only on being involved in local government. Local government is about problem solving – bringing people to the table to solve problems that make your community great.
Mayor de Weerd admits the only reason she got into politics is because someone asked her. But she worked hard at being a problem solver, a collaborator, a person who worked on the things she said she would, “As women we have passion. When we say we are going to do something we go out and we do it.”
Additional insights from the Mayor
People want a leader – they want to know what you stand for. And what you stand for better be simple, repeatable and authentic.
Have values, be principled, be yourself, be willing to take risks, admit your mistakes.
Tell people you love them. Gather stories. Let other people talk about you and let their stories tell people about you.
Mayor Tammy’s list of campaign tips
- Develop a network of supporters
- Develop a message matrix – and stay on message
- Develop a list of endorsers
- Develop testimonials
- Develop speaking points – only 3
- Have someone in charge of all print materials
- Get someone who will deliver & install signs
- Have door-knocking scripts
- Find out who can write Letter’s to the Editor
- YOU HAVE to do social media. Post every day. Tell them where you will be. Have someone who will mine what is being said about you. Challenge the negative and incorrect statements in the social sphere
- Get the most from your eager, dedicated volunteers
Emily Walton’s Campaign Lessons Learned
- Campaigning is like being pregnant, everyone has advice for you.
- She read Winning Your Election the Wellstone Way
- Make sure stuff is ready when your volunteers show up
- Remember, you can fire volunteers
- There is always something you can do better.
- 4 elements that are key a campaign’s structure: Research, Strategy, Fundraising, Communication
China Gum’s Campaign Tips
- Love your volunteers
- When running a campaign, make sure you schedule downtime for your candidate and act as a bugger for your candidate
- For campaign staff – there is no downtime – ever
- Candidates and staff must remember it’s not all about you. Elections are about the voters. We are all here to serve
- Find the passion that connects you to the people and make sure that’s the passion that drives them to the polls
- Remember whose name it is on the sign. Have empathy for their decisions. The candidate must live with whatever reputation results from the campaign.
- Anytime you are talking for the candidate, or as the candidate, DO NOT EVER LIE. Don’t stretch the truth, don’t make something up. It’s ok to say ‘Let me look that up and get back to you.’
- Always know you are being recorded
- Be an information gatherer
- Gratitude. Always be thankful. Write those thank you cards
- Be humble. All of us put our pants on one leg at a time
Campaign Tips from Emily Lampkin
- Play to your strengths. If it’s not who you are and what you are comfortable with – don’t do it. Do what comes naturally to you.
- Your campaign plan needs to be a mirror to your governing plan. It needs to have things you can do in short order so you can show results. And include long-term goals so that they elect you again.
- You can borrow great examples from people all over the country working on issues you are passionate about.
- Don’t think for a second that there are not people all around this country looking to replicate what you do and steal you out of local politics and into national politics. If you’re great at what you do at the local level you will be courted to go national.
- Shared advice from a woman in national office: Having a mom who is a leader will be a great motivator to my children.