How to Run For Office Part 1: Why should you run?

If you’re thinking about running for office, the first question should be, what motivates you and does that motivation fit the role?

Hi, friend, I’m glad you’re here. We need more people running for office in Missouri, and we need people running for the right reason. So I’ll ask, first — why would you think about running for office?

Running for office can be a thankless job. Doing it well requires long hours for low pay, and the legislature requires days on end away from family. Campaigning is tough and requires a completely different set of skills.

Hang on - I’m not trying to talk you out of it, but it’s important to be real here. It’s easy to get burnt out when reality doesn’t meet expectations. So if you’re interested in glitz and glamour and in hobnobbing with famous people, you might look for an easier path.

Again, the question — why would you think about running for office?

Maybe it would be better to explain my own motivation. I am motivated by helping others, and my tagline, from my very first campaign, has always been, making Missouri a better place for children and families. It’s simple, but it’s me in a nutshell.

A lot of people think about holding office as “high status”, but people seeking status are not the best candidates to run a government. I like to look at politics as a “helper” job, like fighting fires or performing CPR. Those helper jobs don’t do the exciting stuff all the time. What I do isn’t always exciting or noteworthy. But I have been able to change lives with a phone call.

If you look for the helpers, you’ll know there’s hope.

I’m going to be putting together a series of blog posts about running for office. Of course, I think everyone should run as a Democrat, but the reason we have political parties is that there is room for disagreement. We should be able to have disagreements on economic theory, or on what to prioritize in a budget. My next post will be about what the two parties stand for, on the national level.