What Makes a Good Candidate

Warning: Undefined variable $time_difference in /home4/hpvcxhmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/similarity/similarity.php on line 324

Warning: Undefined array key 0 in /home4/hpvcxhmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/similarity/similarity.php on line 336

Warning: Undefined variable $time_difference in /home4/hpvcxhmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/similarity/similarity.php on line 324

Warning: Undefined array key 0 in /home4/hpvcxhmy/public_html/wp-content/plugins/similarity/similarity.php on line 336

I have begun to think about what attributes a good candidate should have. It started with the thought which has long prevented me from seriously considering running for public office, which is that I am not flashy. People do not pick me out of a crowd for any reason unless they know me. That made me wonder how I would try to appeal to people if I were running for office. The answer seems blindingly obvious now, I would let people get to know me, and try to get to know them. That would mean meeting with people in small groups where we could interact personally.

At first I thought this would rule out a large campaign. While those campaigns are known for the advertisements and flyers and speeches to crowds of thousands, I think that a candidate with a good organization could focus his time on meeting individuals while his organization took care of the advertisements and arranging the speeches to large audiences. In fact I think that the candidate would be better able to inspire the kind of grassroots campaign that everyone talks about if they focus their energy on inspiring individuals by letting people get to know them and feel connected and committed to them.

The more I think about it, I realize that the people that make the worst officials (in my experience) are those who lose touch with the people they are supposed to represent. In some cases they never really knew and understood their constituencies in the first place.

Does anyone want to add their thoughts on the subject?