Notes from the Inbox: Why we need Run for Something
Matthew Calcara, a first-time candidate in Kansas, on why he’s excited bout Run for Something
Welcome to Notes from the Inbox — Matthew Calcara sent us his story a few days ago, and we loved it so much we wanted you to get a chance to read it, too. Have a story of your own? Email us: hello@runforsomething.net
I am pretty sure a wave is building. I am pretty sure a political realignment is taking place here in my suburban county in Kansas. And I have somehow ended up in the middle of it.
Thanks in large part to Run for Something, I have, even as a first-time candidate, become something of a resource locally for other first-time candidates.
I have helped other first-time Kansas candidates build websites, develop social media accounts and learn about the various platforms, figure out online fundraising tools, recruit volunteers, join local progressive organizations, make connections with folks who can help them, and I’ve recruited a number of precinct committee people for my county party.
I have done all this despite never having run for office before, or even volunteering for a campaign. (that said, I plan to be a history-making candidate in 2018.)
The reason I am so eager to get candidates signed up for Run for Something and into the process is this: We need help. I am a first-time candidate and I only look like I know what I am doing. Despite this, I am getting deluged with questions from other new candidates, on all of those things I mentioned above.
All of these candidates say they are coming to me because they’ve tried to get other people to help and have either run into walls, or had their questions fall on deaf ears. I don’t want to blame my local party — they are doing the best they can, and a lot of folks are really working hard to get questions answered, to hold candidate trainings (which most county parties in Kansas do not even do yet) and get candidates set up for success. But this groundswell of new candidates seems to have overwhelmed the local party — a good problem, to be sure!
In Johnson County, the largest in Kansas and the one I live in, with 500+ local elected positions, only 13% of those are currently held by Democrats, with ~70% held by Republicans. This is despite the county being fairly purple, especially for Kansas. But for the first time in 2017, we have Democrats running for nearly all of the (non-partisan) city council and school board seats up in November 2017.
And some of them are really, really good….
Justin Adrian, a twenty-something, openly gay history teacher running for Shawnee (pop. 65,000) City Council, has knocked hundreds of doors already.
Sollie Flora, a dog-loving young lawyer running against a 28-year Republican incumbent in Mission, Kansas, managed to halt an attempt by the City Council to spend ~$10,000 and change the city charter, amending the rules of the election in a way that would’ve helped her opponent.
Alan Marston, a salty, gruff ex-cop running for Olathe (pop. 120,000) City Council, is wonderfully progressive, speaks out for diversity, and wants to empower the city’s marginalized communities
Whenever I say that politics is a team sport, most of the new candidates nod in agreement. Most of the veteran campaigners laugh.
And I get it. I understand why. Politics is absolutely terrible and kind of totally awesome at the same time.
But if I have to choose between idealistic naivete of a hopeful team spirit, or the cynicism and distrust that comes with experience? Well, then bring on the newbies, and we’ll help each other win.
That’s why Run for Something is so damn important. There are not enough people who know enough about politics to help the dozens of first-time candidates emerging.
I don’t want to see a bunch of these young candidates put in the hard work of running for office, only to get discouraged by the lack of access to the nuts-and-bolts of campaigns.
And we need to help these candidates, for our own sake, if not the country’s. Getting to know other young people who want to make a difference has been one of the most uplifting experiences of my life.
I truly believe that the marches, the protests, the pure anguish — that roar you hear in the background — is a wave building.
And it’s time for us Kansans to learn how to surf.
You can chip in to help elect Matthew to the Kansas Legislature here!