Why We’re Hooked on Campaign Life
By Michael E. Cardwell II
There’s no business like politics.
People think a campaign is all kissing babies and shaking hands.
In reality, it’s calling rich people and asking for money for months and spending it quickly to reach voters and turn them out for the election. Then, if you win, you transition to governing, or it’s all over.
Huffington Post published an article titled “Last Week She Worked For A Democratic Campaign. Now She’s Applying At Costco.” The article speaks on the plight of campaign workers. When most people take a job, they usually expect the job and company will be there long-term. If they see the end coming, they’re looking to jump ship and move on to bigger and better things. But in campaigns, as the end approaches, the campaign staff is expected to give more energy for the cause. There is no such thing as work/life balance during a Get Out The Vote campaign.
During my first campaign, I went from volunteer, to unpaid fellow, to paid employee in the span of a few months. Then I took my stipend, bought a couple of suits and went back to work at FedEx just in time for their peak season, from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I’ve worked Thanksgiving morning while my parents went to Virginia to be with our extended family. I LOVE my friends and their families who would let me spend Thanksgiving with them.
I’ve always stayed put in the Tampa Bay Area, but others move around the country hopping from election to election, building off each experience. I’ve worked some odd jobs in between campaigns. It’s hard to stay put because all the hopping around looks like red flags to potential employers. Furthermore, when you tell them you work in politics, they get afraid that you’ll get too political on the job or that you’ll leave once campaign season starts again.
Some come into politics because they’re passionate about an issue but go back to working in the private sector. Others have continuously worked in politics. Besides being a hard field to stay in, politics isn’t a field many want to get into. Most campaigns hope for an army of volunteers to field their campaign. But most candidates aren’t as inspiring as they think they are, and many volunteers aren’t prepared for the emotional grind, especially if it goes south.
Some say politics is a marathon, not a sprint. In reality, it’s a series of sprints. Into a brick wall. Then hopefully you smash through it. Then you get back up and do it all over again. Field staff work long hours, sometimes seven days a week, for usually not great pay. Workers also have to deal with all the crazy political complexities you see on the news. On top of that, they still have to deal with all the drama that happens in typical work environments.
The average person probably enjoys campaign season coming to an end. They get tired of the ads, and the emails, and the phone calls, and the door knocks, and the Facebook posts from that friend who should maybe keep their thoughts to themselves. But for campaign workers, the end of campaign season means the end of a paycheck.
I don’t have a five year plan. My only goal is to pay next month’s rent. It blows my mind when people treat a short term mindset as necessarily inferior to a long term one.We must keep in mind Memento mori, which translates to “remember that you will die.” Life is hard, and then you die. But I promise you it’s easier if you believe that “He Who began a good thing in you will not cease until He sees it through” (Philippians 1:6). Republicans have run this state for 20 years and I still believe we’ll win the next election. Because, that’s the only way you will.
Working in politics really is a roller coaster. Even while working on this blog post for a month my employment situation changed. C’est la vie. 2018 didn’t go exactly as planned or hoped for, but I do my best to learn from the negatives and focus on the positives. Democrats won a majority in the U.S. House and we can properly provide oversight and investigate corruption charges against Trump. Here in Florida, Nikki Fried won her race for Agriculture Commissioner and we can make sure background checks are finished before an applicant receives their concealed weapon permit. Former felons who have paid their debt to society can now register to vote. And, Hillsborough County has a Democratic majority to deal with transit and foster responsible growth. These are great things that will set the table for a better and brighter future for all of us.
Feel free to use the comment section to drop any questions, comments or concerns you may have. Just remember to be respectful. Also, go ahead and share on your social media platforms so others can get involved as well. And, if you have a chance, come out to the next HCYD meeting so you can learn all about what they have planned for 2019.