Last week, team Crowdpac headed to Philly to help people tackle the single biggest challenge facing candidates face when running for office: fundraising.
As the only place where political candidates can test the waters, Crowdpac brings political outsiders into the fold. Many of our candidates are completely new to politics or are running for the very first time.
Our training was no different. While we were joined by candidates and organizations spanning across the political spectrum, many of the attendees were there to see what running for office (and Crowdpac!) is all about.
So we asked these folks — all with different backgrounds, careers, and beliefs — what brought you here? Here’s what they said:
“I began getting politically active in the summer of last year, when I felt the political system wasn’t doing what it was supposed to be doing. I recognized that all I was doing was voting every time; that wasn’t enough. I needed to put myself on the frontline with people who are willing to step forward and get involved. And, as I’ve been doing that, I’ve been finding that a lot of people want to do that. But that’s not how our system has been working,” said Neal Gale, Green Party Candidate for Judge of Elections, Montgomery County.
“I’m here because I want to figure out where and how I can do the most good in my community. Whether that’s by running for office or supporting other candidates. I’m ready to step up and get more involved,” said Suzanne Dreitlein, a web designer who became became interested in politics after the 2016 election.
Aubrey Montgomery, partner at Philadelphia-based fundraising firm Rittenhouse partners, gave this advice to potential and current candidates: “The people that fund your campaign are the ones that know you. There’s no silver bullet, no magical list, that will make you more successful than the people you know already.”
North Philly native and non-profit leader Omar Woodard, who launched his campaign for a state senatorial seat on Crowdpac, agreed.
“Running for office is no different from starting a business. When you start a business, who do you ask first to help you out? Friends and family. That’s who you go to when you start a campaign, and Crowdpac lets you do that,” said Omar.
But success on Crowdpac isn’t just about dollar amounts. Crowdfunding allows candidates to see where they stand with the people who really count — not the big donors or super PACs, but with the people that live in your community.
“Crowdpac is truly democratizing the political process. It provides the opportunity to raise money at its most elemental level — grassroots — which essentially is the heart and soul of politics. It’s getting people to respond to you based on their passions and their support for your vision,” said Ralph Wunder, political operative and public affairs consultant.
“Not every race is won. It can still be a worthy expenditure of your time and you can affect the debate in positive ways, and not win. It’s not even about the dollar amounts, it’s about how many people are willing to vouch for you,” added Wertime.
As Omar Woodard knows from his personal experience: “For me, it was more important to have 500 people give at the level they can afford, than to have $50,000 raised from a few donors. Focus on that demand for your candidacy, and the number of people that support your vision.”
Thinking about running for office, but not sure where to start? Check out our Start Running guide here — we’ll help you get started:
