Some advice please

[Rosa Luxemburg]

I'm thinking of running for state delegate. I have been putting it off because I have been so busy with my job and other things. However with changing jobs things will hopefully be easier. Two candidates have already announced in our district and one is been endorsed by the outgoing delegates. Should I just run even if I am the 'also ran?'

[hrmjustin]

1. If you can afford it and won't go into debt it might be fun.

You can start to get name recognition and you get to state your positions. Be tru to yourself in the end.

[femmocrat]

2. It would be a good opportunity to network and make connections.

I ran for delegate to the DNC once. It was fun and I met some very committed democrats. It did involve some time and efforrt though. I would do it again if circumstances were different.

[SunSeeker]

3. I have no words of wisdom since I have never done it, but I congratulate your courage

and civic mindedness. I hope you to do run. We need more people like you in politics. And you never know what can happen...Alvin Green won the SC Dem primary for U.S. Senate--not that that was a good thing--but just sayin!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/10/AR2010061002499.html

Hopefully you've got a catchy name...

[Hippo_Tron]

4. What do you mean by state delegate? Are you talking about the legislature, or the DNC?

And what state do you live in?

[tabbycat31]

5. When are your elections

First of all there's a filing deadline to get on the ballot, and in most states that's already passed.

Also look at the makeup of your district? Is your race winnable or do you live in a district gerrymandered for a REpublican? Is it a district so Democratic where the fight is really within the primary?

Another option is to consider running for local office first and to build up some name ID as a council member, mayor, school board member, county legislator, etc.

PM me if you need campaign advice. (I"m a campaign staffer).

[JayhawkSD]

6. I notice nobody asked about qualifications

Five people advised running, or implied it, and not one asked what qualified the person to hold that office. Because, of course, in today's political world, we don't examine a person's qualifications for an office, we merely look to see the he is a member of the political party we support.

When Duncan Hunter, in eastern San Diego county, retired his son ran for his seat. He didn't bother to make the "Jr." visible on his campaign posters, and I'll pretty much guarantee that a large number of voters voting for him thought they were reelecting his father.

[lunatica]

7. Well why don't you try asking her instead of trashing DU?

Most of us DUers who have been here a while know Rosa Luxemburg's ideas, ideals and intelligence. She doesn't need to sell herself every time she posts.

My advice to Rosa is to run if she feels she must in order to make a difference.

[sweetapogee]

8. go for it!

live life with no regrets.