A prominent Democratic consulting firm recently distributed a memo to Democratic insiders detailing the interview process for one of “the most highly sought-after jobs by campaign staffers”: Regional Political Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The memo details genuinely helpful advice for would-be job seekers: “consider who is in your corner and what they would say about you,” “be mindful of timing your lobbying calls,” and “view the consultant calls/coffees as interviews.” This is all well intentioned for candidates with an established rolodex of well-connected colleagues – indeed, I’ve personally followed this advice! But for aspiring operatives – particularly women and people of color – who lack that rolodex, it illustrates a larger challenge the progressive movement must face head-on.
Political careers have historically been built through privileged personal networks which perpetuate inequality within campaign staffing. This systemic disadvantage makes it incredibly difficult for women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community to break into politics, creating a cycle of exclusion. And while the call for diversity in democratic campaigns and organizations has grown louder in recent years, the path to achieving inclusivity remains riddled with obstacles. As a black man who worked his way into politics without prior connections, I understand this first hand. And, it’s frustrating to recognize that after working on eight different campaigns in the last half decade, I’ve only had a single manager who was a person of color – a point that illustrates the challenges we still face despite efforts to course correct.
Addressing this issue requires a fundamental shift in how democratic campaigns approach hiring practices and create opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds to enter the political arena. In practice, that must start with letting go of preconceptions around experience. Too often, hiring managers believe in order to advance in politics you must already have worked in politics, and that perspective sets up barriers to entry for historically underrepresented individuals. Countless industries have transferable skills to campaigns and organizing efforts, and we shouldn’t hesitate to look to these industries as we seek out talent.
If we are serious about diversifying our ranks, we must also get serious about investing in training new staff and equipping them with skills they need to launch successful careers. Investments in training pay off both in the short and long term, as staff who work on one campaign are more likely to stay in the industry. A trained operative who works on a down ballot campaign in 2024 could leverage that experience for a Congressional race in 2026 before working on a Presidential campaign in 2028, demonstrating the value of investing early on behalf of the progressive infrastructure long term.
And finally, we must address challenges we have with retention. Investments in recruitment and training can only do so much to address larger systemic challenges if we can’t keep staff engaged after Election Day passes due to a void in the job market. Thankfully, larger progressive institutions are moving away from mass layoffs that have historically been the norm after a cycle concludes, but more needs to be done in this space if we want to diversify our workforce to include people who don’t have the financial resources to navigate long stretches of unemployment. This can include investments in fellowship programs and additional training to help staff bridge the gap between jobs. My organization is proud to lead the way in this effort, but we can’t go at it alone.
If we want to have electoral success, progressives must confront and dismantle the entrenched biases keeping the old boys' club alive. Our electorate is becoming increasingly diverse, and if we want to mobilize Black and Brown voters so we can win on Election Day, we must have diverse operatives guiding our efforts from the top or else we’re setting ourselves up for failure. By prioritizing diversity as a strategic imperative, campaigns can bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a deeper understanding of the diverse electorate they aim to represent so we can win at the ballot box on Election Day.
Aziz Yakub is the Director of Career Development at Arena, the progressive movement’s flagship organization for convening, training, and supporting the next generation of candidates and campaign staff. In 2022 he served as Campaign Manager for Adam Frisch, a Democrat who nearly upset Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-3) in the closest Congressional race in the country.
