10. If you get elected, use your influence to lift up friends. You will be able to make appointments and start a different conversation in your community.

9. If you are not going to be a part of building up the positive side, we also need people to break holes in the right wing narrative. They love to take credit for popular things they didn’t do. They need to be called out on it.

8. Don’t give up on new people. If they’re not hostile, they can be reached. Listen to them, find out what’s important to them. Make connections and try to bring them along to the next election.

7. Learn how the big/national/state issues can impact your local community, push back on the negative, promote the positive. Ignore the things that won’t impact you.

6. Plan to run early. If you get into a rhythm of being able to make it to city council or school board meetings, you can have a routine of being in charge of those meetings, that will matter to the public.

5. Be prepared to be seen in public and volunteer your time. You will be surprised how quickly a volunteer is suddenly leading because they agreed to step up. Bring friends. Everything is easier with friends.

4. We need to focus on local races right now. Mayors, city councils, planning commissions, advisory boards, school boards. Show up to the meetings. Not to argue or make points right away, but to learn who is in charge of them. Then invite those leaders for coffee and ask them about the work.

3. We need to integrate ourselves into the community groups that people who don’t follow politics are loosely aware of and take over them. I’m talking Lions, Rotary, church groups, etc… find the big thing in your community and volunteer with the group running it. Invite friends

2. We are never going to break through the right wing media bubble with our own online strategies. We are going to have to have a LOT of conversations with people we don’t know and may not agree with us.