It’s a fundamental truth of politics that if you don’t win, you can’t govern.

You can’t implement policy if you aren’t elected to a position that allows you to do so, or if you don’t have sympathetic elected officials that are willing to help. With that being the case, it’s critical that conservatives know the basics of effective politics if we expect to see our ideas implemented in government.

Julius Caesar once said that the only thing needed to conquer the world was “men and money”. Modify that idea slightly by adding “message” and you’ve got a thumbnail sketch of what politics is all about.

The good news is that the fundamentals of successful campaigns (and political parties) are the same today as they were thousands of years ago.

They’re known as “the Three M’s”

Manpower:

Do you have the supporters that can build a successful campaign organization?

Money:

Do you have the resources to identify, inform and mobilize your supporters – and get your message out to the public?

Message:

What are you saying – and does it motivate people to get involved?

These three elements are universal to all campaigns and political parties. They don’t change.

They are “elements” in the sense that virtually every aspect of effective political activity revolves around one of them. That means that you should arrange your activity accordingly around those areas of responsibility.

Don’t make things any more complicated than they need to be.

Regardless of whether a campaign or organization is national, state or local in scope, the objective is the same. To win. Having the most devoted and numerous volunteers, the most money (or enough) and the most compelling message goes a long way towards that goal.

Focusing on the fundamentals is how we can continue to make our Party a more effective vehicle for our conservative values.

That’s my commitment.

If you share that vision, please be sure to add your name to my endorsement list!