You’ve marched and stuffed and doorknocked. Now you’re ready to run for office. State Rep. Sarah LaTourette, who began her career in nonprofits and now represents the 76th Ohio House District, gives her insight on how to rally support.
Immerse yourself in your passion. As an advocate for adoption and foster care, LaTourette was spurred to seek office over a bill surrounding access to birth certificates. “Find an issue you’re interested in and get out there and get overly involved,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be political in nature because nearly every aspect is going to touch politics in some way.”
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. LaTourette has always worked behind the scenes of nonprofits, so being at the forefront of a campaign took a lot of adjustment. “You really have to be out there and be the face of things in the public,” she says. “Pushing myself outside my comfort zone was very important.” She recommends going out of your way to reach like-minded campaigns and offer your support, such as door-to-door canvassing.
Be everywhere you can. You may be at the point where you’re regularly speaking and being recognized at events but attending a small Girl Scouts ceremony is just as important. “It makes such a huge difference,” LaTourette says. “People in attendance may not even know you’re running for office. But after a while, they pay attention to the fact that you care enough to be there.”
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politics
2:00 PM EST
July 22, 2016