Then work up to something like State Rep or Senate.

My newly elected Representative from the IL 18th Congressional district is now the youngest member of congress. Aaron Schock started his political career by running a write in campaign to get a seat on the local school board. He so impressed his fellow board members that they elected him to be president of the board. He moved from that to a State Representative seat in a hotly contested race (unseating a firm Dem) and this November won the seat of retiring Ray LaHood. He’s now 27.

The point is he started at the local level and WORKED HARD! Everyone he works with is impressed with his abilities, with the only exception being whatever poor sucker the Dems have put up against him. That is probably the best plan to follow if you want to get elected.

I won’t say wait. I’ll say GO For it! But go for something you’re likely to be able to acheive. So if your 2 options are the only ones available, go for the county position. When you win, make sure you do such a fine job that NO ONE will dispute your ability to do the Senate job. If you lose the county slot, go for a city council, school board, park district or anyting else. And above all, stick to your principals and be honest.

Socialism doesn’t work. It looks nice on paper, but it’s been tried and it’s failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.

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You’re just out of high school, and you’ll have a very tough fight in either of the races you’re talking about because of the age. Wait six years, develop yourself a little more, and then do it.

No matter how politically motivated I’ve been, an 18 Y.O. is too young to run for office for either party and expect any kind of respect. People will have a hard time electing you against anyone even a few years older than you are, and for good reason.

I would wait until you’re finished with college and then run for public office. Get the degree first, at the very least.

The current Mayor of Muskogee is the Honorable John Tyler Hammons, who, at the time of his election, was a 19-year-old University of Oklahoma freshman. Mayor Hammons was first elected, with 70% of the vote, on May 13, 2008, in an election against former Muskogee Mayor Hershel McBride.

“…in Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.A.”

But then, you may be too young to get the cultural reference.

Good luck.

My first reaction is that your second sentence made you first sentence a lie…or at least a stretch of the truth. Then I read the last sentence of you second para…that made me quit reading…seriously green party???

Next there is the fact that you seem to be wanting to challenge a Republican who is liked by his constituents, and you make no case against him.. This just makes me think you are looking for power rather than wanting to be a citizen legislator.

Then there is this quote:

I believe I have ideas that could not only help my state of Virginia, but the eventually the nation as a whole.

Unless you have a blueprint that is better than Federalism, I doubt your ideas are any better than what has been tossed about over the last 200+ years of the existence of the Republic. Instead this just comes off as you thinking very highly of yourself.

there are minor offices that are sometimes available without any one to run against you, and you can help the party out and get your name out there, learn the ropes, and build up some favors from others.

Look at me read good and listen…

I am not going to tell you to run… or not to run…

I’m going to tell you HOW to run

2009 – join every GOP organization you can find in your area. Work the fund raisers, the picnics whatever… anything that puts you in contact with people. Build your rolodex. Through this… find a campaign to join… something small… local… I like state house races ‘high’ enough to see the local and state issues involved small enough to be able to see what’s going on. If you can… without being pushy… become the defacto ‘body man’ Hold their coat, drive the car, go where they go see what they see, meet who they meet.

If they are very good you’ll learn how to run in your area. If they are not… you’ll know what not to do.

By the end of the year… have written out a plan… the first draft of the plan to run in 2011.

2010 – start running… but don’t start running. Tell no one what you are doing. Those that need to know will know by watching you and what you are doing. Those that don’t are of less importance. First thing: Take the Dale Carnegie speaking course. And then… take it again… the second time should be free anyway. Get so that you are meet twenty people and remember them Get so that you can stand up and speak to a room full of people about almost anything without panic.

Start going to those places that your candidate did… local meetings, JayCees, Rotary, VFW, school board meetings… meet people, discuss issues, you are doing three very important things: one… name recognition, you are going to be asking these people for money and support in a year… at least they’ll know who is asking. Two… you are continuing to build your Rolodex of potential supporters. Three… learning the issues for your race.

Also in 2010 you will be refining your plan… study all the campaign finance reports and develop a campaign budget. By 14 months out from ‘your’ election you should have the plan in place and know what votes you’ll need and where they will likely come from and what money you’ll likely need

have selected and gotten their agreement of a small group of ‘helpers’ 3-5 people… that will be the backbone of your campaign. Assign one of these to be ‘opposition research’ to find out everything they can about who you are running against. Legal ways only… don’t be like that!

2011 – or 12 months out. Retrace your steps from the last two years only thing time you will be asking to speak to these groups… start talking to these groups… don’t talk about running discuss issues… whatever they are. And getting names… names of people that liked what you said… those that come up to talk to you after you speak. Know what you call a person that comes up to you after a meeting that you spoke at?

D.o.n.o.r.

FILING DAY!

Now… you start to run! Get that supporter list going, have people hold ‘coffees’ for you start speaking to groups in earnest, get out and meet people… hand out info get yourself in the press (local papers?) run like hell. Work your plan… go for the votes you’ll need target those areas you need to draw from and go door-to-door, speak, shake hands, get signs out (all those people you’ve been meeting).

There’s more but I’m tired…