Senate candidate John Fetterman
Welcome back! Every week here on Nuts & Bolts I take time to look at issues surrounding big and small campaigns, and with the help of campaign staff, candidates, and organizations nationally I try to come up with a picture of what goes into a successful campaign, what we learn from the most recent elections, and the trends we think are emerging in the way we communicate our message to voters.
With another set of primaries behind us, especially large primaries in Oregon and Pennsylvania, now is the time to discuss something that gets overlooked: authenticity. When we forget to act authentically to who we are, or to represent the values and issues we believe in, or try to “triangulate” what a voter might want, it is a clear sign that we aren’t sure enough in our own positions.
This happens most when campaign workers tell a candidate that the pathway to success will mean that they might need to tone down who they are when they hit the campaign trail. Candidates are sometimes (wrongly) instructed not to talk about things that may have influenced them, or made major changes in their lives.
As a candidate, following this advice means you do your own self oppo—research into the things that might be used against you. Were you arrested for protesting at 21? Did you get caught with marijuana at 23? Maybe there are photos out there of you in Star Wars cosplay. Do you have unexplained tattoos or scars? Someone, somewhere during your campaign is going to talk to you about how to build a narrative about it. Another consultant is going to tell you that you are better off not talking about it at all, or to deflect. A third consultant will advise you that you can change the story. Absolutely none of them can 100% tell you what will work. What I can tell you is what I know does not seem to work at the down-ballot level, and that is trying to change the story for soundbites doesn’t work. Just own who you are, and people will respect it.
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