The 10 Commandments of Campaigning

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1. Money is the Lord, your savior
You shall have no other lords besides money. Start raising money shortly after birth. They say that if you are going to drink all day, you need to start in the morning. In politics, if you want to be in the game, you need to start fundraising early and stay with it. If you are really rich, skip this step and call me. I’m available for adoption.

2. Thou shalt not take the Lord (fundraising) in vain
Spend money sparingly on all non-communications expenses. Aeron chairs are nice, but campaign workers don’t need them. Pizza makes them happy. More than 75% of your campaign budgets should be spent on direct voter communication (paid media, mail, paid phones).

3. Keep holy the rest time
On every good campaign, candidates block out some portion of their week for personal time. Don’t let the campaign ruin it. Whether it’s a Sunday morning at Church, or an hour reserved to spend with the kids and spouse, stick to it. It’s the only way to stay sane.

4. Honor your family -- the base
Never take the base for granted. You need their support to win. You need to stroke their collective egos. And you need their votes.

5. Thou shalt focus on swing voters, not political leaders
Endorsements are good, and necessary. But in order to win, you need actual voters. The floors are littered with "endorsed candidates" who end up losing to the ones who raise more money and persuade more swing voters. And target ONLY the voters you need to win. Non-voters can’t help you. People who always vote for an opposing party can’t help you. Find the swing voters, and target them with all of your campaign tools.

6. Thou shalt not commit adultery
This actual commandment doesn't require any alteration. Too many campaigns have failed due to scandal mid-course. And if something does go wrong, be forthcoming. Don’t lie. In the words of Chris Matthews, "Hang a lantern on your problem" as voters will understand and forgive your trespasses, but never understand why you would lie.

7. Thou shalt stay on message
Most candidates are easily thrown off message by events of the days or by clever opponents. Your message (determined by excellent survey research from political polling firms like Global Strategy Group) is the key to winning your campaign. Repeat it over, and over, and over, and over, and over. And when you’re bored with delivering it, you’re probably not nearly done repeating it.

8. Thou shalt be prepared
Research, prepare, plan, organize — these are the things that make successful campaigns. Have a campaign plan, and stick to it. Do opposition research on your opponent, and self-research on your candidate so that you know all the potential positives and comparative information that could be used in the campaign.

9. Thou shalt not change who you are
Voters can smell when something is fishy — candidates who change like chameleons to fit the current mood or issue environment. Yet, you can do research to determine what voters care about. Polls are tools which tell you the voters needs, emotions, and values. Polls are not about changing the issue positions of a candidate (if you’re pro-choice in an anti-choice district, for example, never, never change your position).

10. Thou shalt listen
Listen to voters. Listen to consultants. Listen to the community, business, and political leaders before you assume that you know what is best for the people you intend to serve. And voters like candidates who actually listen to their problems.