How Your Past Shapes Your Ability to Run for Office

Get started with your campaign by taking our course “So You Think You Want to Run?” to learn what it takes to successfully run for office.

Let us be the first to tell you: you don’t have "too many skeletons in your closet to run for office". Regardless of your background, your current job, or your education, you (yes, you!!) are capable of running for elected office. In this video, our campaign experts explain how candidates should address past challenges and look to their local Democratic parties for support. Along with moderator Allie McRaith, NDTC’s Live Training Associate Director, our panelists included:

Ryanne Olsen - Training and Curriculum Director at Emerge America
Colmon Elridge III - Chair of the Kentucky Democratic Party & NDTC Trainer
Jordan Berg Powers - Executive Director at Mass Alliance & NDTC Trainer

Want to connect with and learn from other candidates for office? Join NDTC’s Facebook Candidate Community!

Click below for a transcript of this video lesson:

0:00 Do you have too many skeletons in the closet to run for office?
0:37 Addressing significant mistakes in your past
1:40 Supporting Democrats amidst Republican attacks
3:03 Democrats need to punch back
4:48 How does party support show up for local candidates?
6:01 Planning for attacks ahead of time
6:28 Understanding the network of movement-aligned organizations

NDTC ON SOCIAL: