Last year I ran for local government office. I have often said I ran “unsuccessfully”; however, I’m not sure that qualifier is entirely accurate since winning is not the only measure of success. Regardless of the outcome, I learned a lot and now can look back and see things I did well and areas in which I made mistakes — in some cases, lots of mistakes.

My thoughts below are designed to encourage more conservative candidates to run for office and to run with success. While conservatives will not win every election, they will lose every election in which they don’t run. The morale of the story then is to get out of our comfort zone and run. And by following a good plan, I feel that most conservatives won’t just run but will run well.

My Suggestions for a Successful Political Campaign

1. Know why you are running.

Running for office and campaigning is hard work. It’s very tiring, expensive, and emotionally draining and the race doesn’t end until the polls close on election night. With such a gauntlet to run, the candidate must remain confident in his or her reasons for running. Such confidence and the accompanying clarity of vision produces the steadfastness and resolve (and energy) needed to finish the race.

2. Differentiate yourself from your opponent(s).

If there is nothing different between you and your opponent then the race comes down to a popularity content. To avoid that potential disaster means you must find about three strong and compelling issues that you can promote and your opponent cannot. While this divides people along opinion lines, you need some division to gain supporters. Stay on message with those points and repeat them often — they become your brand that is remembered within the voting booth.

3. Be able to clearly articulate your vision in one sentence.

We only have one chance for a first impression with someone — remember, that someone is a potential voter. That first impression is largely formed with the first sentence they hear coming out of our mouth. Therefore a candidate must be able to demonstrate his or her strength quickly and confidently under a variety of scenarios including door-to-door campaigning, chance encounters, public speaking, and so forth. The first sentence is a good time to articulate one or more of the three points from #2 above.

4. Consistently set the agenda of the campaign.

A candidate must early on shift from a defensive position and go on the offense. That doesn’t mean name calling, mud slinging, and pointing out the personal weaknesses of your opponent. Instead, it means steering the conversation and the agenda of the campaign to your issues and vision. It means staying on point, articulating your vision clearly, and showing leadership. In time, chances are high you can convince many people that your position is right.

5. Run a clean, organized campaign.

I have a few suggestions about running a good campaign. Of course, all materials and the image presented should be high-quality and appropriate for your community.

• Get an ethical campaign manager you trust and who has good judgment.
• Develop a campaign strategy but adapt it as conditions change.
• Don’t run your campaign all by yourself — let your supporters help you.
• Have a substantive yet attractive website. When talking with the media and the public, offer just the broad points but refer people to your website for the details.
• Meet with voters — door-to-door, community events, public forums, etc.
• Present a positive vision and limit personal attacks.
• Create a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) strategy and staff it with volunteers.

6. Never forget who you serve.

People don’t like arrogance, flattery, and lies. People know when they are being played and can smell a politician a mile a way so don’t be a politician — be a statesman. You work for the voters so ask them for their vote. Look them in the eye when you talk. Don’t rush away or treat them as unimportant. Don’t ever lie or just tell them what they want to hear. Admit mistakes and learn from them. Don’t become a politician!

Some Advice for Voters & Supporters

A campaign is a big personal risk for the candidate and his or her family. The entire process is difficult and it is emotionally painful to lose the election. Therefore, if you support the candidate and want to vote for him then be sure to take any chance to encourage him and show your support.

As a candidate it is hard asking for money but money is needed to run a good race. I challenge you as a supporter to give financially to your candidate no matter how small the amount.  I’m convinced that in most races if each supporter gave just $5 then their candidate would be able to match or exceed the campaign funding of any other candidate in the race.

In my campaign I walked door-to-door a lot since it was a local government race. It was tiring and hot and I really appreciated the periodic supporter who gave me a glass of water (or lemonade) and a chance to sit down for a brief rest. I’ve heard other candidates express similar thanks and also note that bathroom breaks are much appreciated. It’s amazing how those seemingly little things can be so refreshing and encouraging.

In Conclusion

With these thoughts I encourage conservatives to run for office and to run to win. I also encourage supporters to truly support them — by giving financially, by volunteering their time and skills, and, of course, by voting.

Many Ponderstorm readers know that I’m running for office in Starkville. Election day is June 2. We all know that many people make up their minds in the last three days before they vote. With that in mind, the local Republican Party Executive Committee funded a quick television campaign to provide a unifying message and exposure for all participating Republican candidates. We focused on four issues that are important to most voters in Starkville.

Here’s our TV spot:

Click here to view the embedded video.

What are your thoughts?

As I write this I’m distressed to say it looks like there is no path to victory for John McCain. But since I prefer to see the glass as half full, I’m searching for something positive to write about tonight’s election. Is there anything positive to consider right now?

After careful thought I think so. I think there is still reason for conservatives to hope.

This 2008 election cycle has a remarkable number of parallels to 1976 when Democrat Jimmy Carter beat Republican Gerald Ford. As you may recall, Ford became President following the resignation of scandal-plagued President Richard Nixon. With the Republican brand tarnished by Watergate and the messy war in Vietnam fresh on voters’ minds, Carter eked out a 50.1% popular vote and a 297 to 240 electoral win.

As things now stand, Obama appears to be headed for a similarly narrow victory over McCain. As in 1976, the 2008 Republican brand is deeply tarnished by six years of squandered opportunities, wasteful spending, an unpopular Republican President and war that seems to drag on and on. Add in a candidate who had difficulties mobilizing his base and energizing people with a clear vision and you have a recipe for Republican electoral disaster. For Democrats, though, these factors created the perfect storm to sweep into power.

Rewind to 1976. Carter, like Obama was very inexperienced. Little was known about Carter just as little is known about Obama. Contrasting these Democrats were Republicans Ford and McCain who were both tested and experienced leaders. They were, however, dragged down by sweeping calls for change and widespread desire to put a new face and political party in Washington.

That was the setting in 1976 and again in 2008. As history shows us, though, the four years after 1976 were not pretty. Carter was tested with an international crisis by Iran and he failed miserably. Instead of acting decisively, he focused on talks and cut the military. Furthermore, the economy grew worse as inflation, unemployment and interest rates rapidly climbed.

Ironically, in 2008, Iran is again at the forefront of the international agenda and the economy is extremely weak. Like Carter, Obama puts a huge amount of trust in the power of talks to resolve aggressive conflicts with unreasonable people like Islamic extremists and dictators. Honestly, I fear for our future as a nation.

As Joe Biden warned, the next President will be tested with an international crisis within a short period of time. The response of that unavoidable test remains to be seen. Will Obama continue to look and sound like Carter or will he prove my analogy wrong and lead wisely?

That’s the dark side of my analogy. Is there a silver lining you might ask? Is there anything to give conservatives reason to hope? I think so and here’s why.

After four years of failure under Carter, the nation was fed up with international weakness, unemployment, inflation and failed Democratic leadership. In 1980 the nation was ready to elect a new leader who was proud of America and willing to tackle the problems instead of just talk about the symptoms. In short, the nation was ready to embrace conservatism and his name was Ronald Reagan.

So my question tonight is who will be our Ronald Reagan in 2012? Who will step forward and lead this nation out of the mess that liberalism and socialism inevitably bring? Who will be or next Ronald Reagan? Will it be you?

What follows is the official Ponderstorm Political Endorsements for the 2008 political season. Please note that apart from the Presidential race, these endorsements cover what is on my ballot (see sample ballot – pdf) for the 3rd Congressional District and the Northern Supreme Court District in Mississippi.

You will notice a strong Republican bias. I am urging support along those lines on the federal level since the Republican Party, in spite of its many faults, remains the only party willing to even half-way protect social values, win wars and promote the free enterprise system of economics. Here are my endorsements and some reasons for them.

President/Vice President – John McCain & Sarah Palin (R)

For me, the choice of voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin was easy to make and decided months ago. McCain and Palin are social and fiscal conservatives who believe in protecting the United States and winning wars. Need I say more given the alternative?

While I could easily argue that John McCain is not my ideal candidate, he is light years ahead of his opponent on issues that deeply matter to me and to the integrity and safety of this nation. In a tight election year like this, I gladly endorse John McCain and Sarah Palin for President and Vice President, respectively.

MS Senate – Thad Cochran (R)

Senator Thad Cochran has served Mississippi since 1972, first as a United States Congressman and in 1978 as a Senator. When he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978, he was the first Republican in over 100 years to win a statewide election in Mississippi.

In the years since, Cochran’s voting record has been consistently conservative. He leads with humility and an unassuming manner that has earned the respect of millions on both sides of the political isle.

MS Senate (special election) – Roger Wicker (R)

Senator Roger Wicker was appointed to the United States Senate on December 31, 2007 by Governor Haley Barbour. Wicker’s appointment, due to the resignation of retiring Senator Trent Lott, fills that vacancy in until the general election on November 4, 2008.

Prior to this Senate appointment, Wicker served in the House of Representatives since 1994 and the Mississippi State Senate from 1987-1994. Wicker, though guilty of using earmarks to bring special projects to his congressional district, has a socially conservative voting record overall and, I feel, remains the better candidate to serve Mississippi in the Senate.

MS House District 3 – Greg Harper (R)

Greg Harper is running as a fiscal and social conservative for Mississippi Congressional District 3 (see map on left). Among other things, his platform includes securing our borders, protecting traditional marriage and the unborn, restoring fiscal responsibility, and defending our right to keep and bear arms.

There are no State Senate or House races this year. There are no other statewide races or ballot measures this year in Mississippi; however, there are four Mississippi Supreme Court seats up for election in 2008.

Mississippi Supreme Court justices are selected via nonpartisan elections for eight-year terms. There are three Supreme Court districts in Mississippi (see map on left — Supreme Court District Map Legend: 1 – Central District; 2 – Southern District; and 3 – Northern District).

MS Supreme Court Northern District – Ann Lamar & David Chandler

Justice Ann Lamar was appointed to the Mississippi Supreme Court by Governor Haley Barbour on May 21, 2007 to fill the position vacated by retiring Justice Kay Cobb. Prior to her service on the Mississippi Supreme Court, Lamar served as a circuit judge from the 17th Circuit Court and as a district attorney and an assistant district attorney. Lamar has been endorsed by the Mississippi Republican Party. Learn more about Ann Lamar.

Judge David Chandler currently serves on the Mississippi Court of Appeals. In addition to his current position with the Mississippi Court of Appeals, his experience includes serving on the Choctaw County Board of Supervisors, as a municipal judge for the City of Weir, and as an adjunct professor of law at the Mississippi College School of Law. Chandler has been endorsed by the Mississippi Republican Party. Learn more about David Chandler.

Helpful links to voter information and political party values comparisons:

Mississippi

• Mississippi county voting registrars contact information
• Mississippi Voter Information from the Mississippi Secretary of State

National Candidate & Party Comparisons

• Party Platform Comparision 2008 (pdf document) by iVoteValues.com (compares Republican and Democratic Party platforms)
• AFA Voter Issue Guide for the 2008 Presidential Race
• ChristianityToday Platform Comparison (compares where the two main political parties stand on abortion, faith-based programs, religious liberty, and other issues)
• Priests for Life 2008 party platform comparison handouts for churches – Side and Side 2

The embedded video below shows what is at stake in this election regarding the right to life. Hear Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain in their own words state their positions on this foundational issue. I urge everyone to look deep within their heart and ask themselves if he or she really wants a pro-abortion President of the United States.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For me the choice is clear and John McCain is the only candidate who gets this fundamental issue right. No amount of poise, polish or eloquence from an amazing candidate can change my mind. On the contrary, when I see the candidates on this issue, John McCain is the one who displays eloquence and grace while Barack Obama stumbles around or calls for a bloody genocide. For this, Barack Obama is a sellout to black people and the whole nation.

Here are ten of my main reasons for supporting Senator John McCain for President of the United States in 2008.

1. John McCain believes in winning wars.

2. John McCain believes human life and human rights begin at conception.

3. John McCain believes that evil exists and should be confronted.

4. John McCain believes in putting our country first over special interests.

5. John McCain believes in cutting spending.

6. John McCain believes in lowering taxes.

7. John McCain believes nobody should be punished for their income or success.

8. John McCain believes that marriage is between one man and one woman.

9. John McCain believes in appointing strict constructionist to the federal courts.

10. John McCain believes in letting the American people live without excessive government intervention.

I regularly read Obama 2.0 and just learned of some very interesting commentary by the talented founder of Macho Sauce Productions Alfonzo (Zo) Rachel. In his own words, Zo is a “musician, martial artist, amateure movie makin’, Christian conservative republican.”

His latest video is entitled 1 More B4 11 04 and builds a strong case for electing a conservative as President. He also describes very well the differences between liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, and Obama and McCain in ways that are very compelling. His logic is tight (I would dispute his dinosaur comment given some historic and scientific evidence that may suggest otherwise) and his reasons for supporting conservatives and John McCain in particular are some of the best I’ve heard. He is passionate about freedom and excessive government involvement in our lives. It’s well worth watching.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Everyone knows Senator Barack Obama’s resume is very thin. One would think he would try to beef it up a bit by learning from experts like the Secretary of State. However, that does not seem to be the case. Even though a United States Senate he has missed a lot of chances for some quality Q&A with the nation’s movers and shakers. Where has he been and what has he been up to when he should have been focusing on being a Senator? Maybe this video will give us a clue. . .

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sounds to me like Barack Obama should get off the campaign trail (or maybe cut out a few smoking breaks) and attend some Senate hearings. What do you think?

There’s a new non-partisan political ad entitled “An Outlaw’s Worst Nightmare?” and featuring Chuck Norris. This National Rifle Association (NRA) ad encourages viewers to check out candidates support for the 2nd Amendment (the right to keep and bear arms) and warns those politicians who verbalize their support for gun owner rights but then vote for gun bans. It will reportedly be running soon in ten key states. I especially like the sign outside his house near the end of the video. It reads “We don’t dial 911.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s easy to educate yourself on this important issue. Enter your zip code on the NRA Political Victory Fund website and get the NRA’s 2008 Candidate Grades and Endorsements for the federal candidates on your ballot.

As I noted in my polling post yesterday, we are witnessing an unprecedented amount of pro-Obama bias in the mainstream media. The bias is so widespread that in many circles it has become politically incorrect to even voice support for John McCain. This peculiar political scenario reminds me of the fairy tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Danish poet Hans Christian Andersen.

As the story goes, the emperor cares about little more than clothing and always wants to wear the best in the land. One day he is approached by two swindlers who promise him the finest suit from the most beautiful and amazing fabric in the world. This fabric, the emperor is told, is visible to only the wise. In short, anyone who is either stupid or unfit will not be able to see the fabric.

The weak-minded emperor is flattered by the swindlers and, when shown the magical “fabric” does not want to admit he cannot see it. So, to not appear stupid or unfit as emperor, he vainly pretends the fabric is beautiful and authorizes the suit be made at once. Similarly, none of the emperor’s ministers want to appear unfit or stupid so they also pretend to see the fabric and proclaim their admiration.

After much supposed labor, the swindlers tell the emperor that the suit is finished. The emperor, still not admitting he cannot see a stitch of clothing, is “dressed” in the suit. Those around him applaud and gush over the tailors’ workmanship and how good it looks on the emperor. The emperor in his vanity enjoys the attention and proceeds to parade through the capital in a special procession to show off his new “clothes” that only the wise can see. Everyone in the kingdom succumbs to the pressure to not appear stupid. They lavish admiration for the beautiful “clothing” that is fit only for the emperor.

During the parade, however, a small child cries out, “But he has nothing on!” At that moment the crowd no longer withholds their better judgment and admits that the child told the truth — the emperor really is wearing no clothes! The emperor, though, not admitting his foolishness, holds his head high and continues to proceed through the town without clothing.

I feel this nearly 200-year old fairy tale fits our times very well. I offer the following analogy: The emperor is Barack Obama who has been swindled into thinking he is “the change we can believe in” and a few other foolish, empty campaign slogans.

The mainstream news media, much like the emperor’s ministers, don’t want to appear foolish in front of the emperor since he has a rock star-like following among the young and the elite. Instead of researching the fabric (and noting its flaws, including lack of executive experience, radical associations, ACORN fraud, “spread the wealth around” socialism, give 95% a tax cut when only 65% pay any income taxes lie, etc.), the media swoons over the emperor’s fabric and overlooks the obvious. Meanwhile, they busy themselves microscopically researching the fabric worn by John McCain, Sarah Palin, Joe the Plumber and others not associated with the emperor.

The American people, not wanting to appear stupid, feel compelled to go along with the adoring ministers (mainstream media) and likewise admire the fabric. In droves they also overlook its obvious flaws and enthusiastically proclaim its greatness. When asked, however, few can explain why they like the fabric. Instead they loudly proclaim that we need the emperor because he talks so well and looks so good to the world. Besides, what he is wearing doesn’t matter.

The rest of this analogy will be written on November 4th. Hopefully a child will step forward and tell the voting crowds that the emperor has no clothes on. When the crowds hear that child will they open their self-imposed blinded eyes and admit that Obama is an empty suit and unfit to serve as President? Only then, when voters realize the emperor is naked, will it be politically correct to oppose Barack Obama.