I'm running for Wisconsin State Assembly

[AsherWI]

Before I even write what I'm going to write: Skinner has said that there are no rules about getting permission for fundraising. "And, there are no rules against fundraising on DU3, and no requirement that you get admin approval. People need to use their own judgment." He said it in MIRT, so I can't link to it.

So if you are going to report me for abuse just because you don't like me, that is really dirty of you.

I’m running for Wisconsin State Assembly because I think the 26th District would benefit from having a representative whose priorities are day-in and day-out: jobs, the economy, and standing up for working and middle-class families. I am optimistic about the future of this state.

I may not always have all the answers or solutions, but I will seek them out. With input and support, I am confident that we can identify problems that resonate throughout the State of Wisconsin and achieve viable solutions for them.

You can count on me to be a tireless leader to fight for jobs and stand up for working middle class families, workers and small businesses. I know families are struggling to be heard, because there is an enormous disconnect between Wisconsinites and politicians in Madison.

http://www.asherforwisconsin.com

I'm running against incumbent state Rep. Mike Endsley who is a Republican. He supports Governor Scott Walker's radical agenda that includes union busting and cutting nearly $1 billion from public education.

In 2010, he was recurited by the Republican Party to run. In fact, the top donor to his campaign was the Republican Party of Wisconsin, followed by himself and the Sheboygan County Republican Party. This is a grassroots campaign. Will you consider donating $5, $10, $15 or $25 to support my grassroots campaign?

I won't be able to match the Republican's fundraising machine but I believe that I will have the support of the hardworking middle class families across Wisconsin and the United States. Will you join me?

http://www.supportasher.com/donate

My campaign has set a fundraising goal of $1,000 -- well below what the Republican incumbent raised in 2010. I'm hopeful that I will have the support of grassroots supporters like you that will power my campaign. Your donation will allow my campaign to reach voters in the 26th Assembly District which covers Southern Sheboygan County.

[rurallib]

1. kick and good luck

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. My donation is a bit of advice...

...that comes from 41 years of life and (almost) 22 years of parenting.

Keep your big dreams of running for elected office in a corner of your heart. And go out to look for an internship for a viable candidate. My daughter, at 19, interned for a local county commissioner who went on to win state representative. My daughter, at the time, had a dream of one day running for office. You start where you should start.

You appear bright, but lacking in common sense and maturity. One does not begin a fundraising missive by calling the ones they wish to request funds from dirty. Even if that was not your intent, that is how it reads. It was not you who found out about fundraising on DU in the MIRT forum, but someone else. You should have, in the interest of transparency, linked to that post. Viable candidates should never steal the words of others without giving credit. Viable candidates should never anger the people they are looking for votes from.

You are only 18, and I don't mean this as a put down, so statements like "I stand with the working class" will not go over winningly when people add up that you have only been able to legally work for just a few short years.

There is so much for you to learn, and I love it when young people want to get involved, and dream big. But people have long memories and I would hate to see you kill those dreams before they are ready to be realized.

As a progressive, you should see that, when a DUer from Wisconsin, who I know to be a progressive, is not enchanted with you that there are problems with this, I fear, ill fated campaign.

I am sure there are lots of viable candidates who would love an extra hand.

Also, as I tell my own kids, go to college! Live life...and then bring experience to the table.

Best wishes, which can mean so much more than money,
Laura

[fishwax]

4. good advice and skillfully given

[AsherWI]

5. viable candidates = career politicians

We should all know that. That's all I hear, go to college. Go to college. Come back in a few years. If I do that, I'll hear go to the army. Go to the army. And then finally after I nearly get myself killed, I'll hear, run for the school board first son.

School board, city council, county board and then by the time I'm 60 and perhaps if I'm still living, then I might have a chance to run for the State Assembly.

Get prepared people. The next generation of leadership is not waiting.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. What I said to you was said with concern and care.

If you shut out the people that are going to the polls, with replies such as yours to my own post, there isn't much of a reason to throw your hat in the ring in the first place. With maturity comes the ability to listen to what one's hoped for constituents are saying.

The woman that my daughter interned for?

She was involved with Clean Water Action for years. That's how we met her, going door to door. ( I recommend this as an excellent starting point.)

She then ran for County Commissioner, and won. Not with money. But by going door to door and meeting people. She was only 32. But mature and educated.

In 2008 she won a seat in Michigan's House of Representatives, at the age of 34.

She is open, friendly, grateful for any and all support...and, most of all, honest. She has never resorted to trickery or blustering. She is not yet 60.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Roberts_%28Michigan_politician%29

You can do this. If you do it the right way. I fear that this is not the right way.

I can say, for myself, that I look forward to the next generation of leadership. But I want them to be experienced, and not just willing to throw out a popular catch phrase (like standing with working class families).

I don't want to see your dream crushed before it even gets out of the gate.

Please consider what I have said, before getting upset. I'm a mom and I care.

[northoftheborder]

8. I agree with screaming meemie, go to college, or get a job, do some volunteer work, get involved....

....with another candidate, run for local office.....then you are more prepared to serve at state level. You will have so many more real life experiences by then, and more able to relate to more people. This is from a granny with 3 sons and 5 grandchildren.

[PeaceNikki]

9. Asher has volunteered for campaigns. Including a VERY right wing candidate for governor - Mark Green

[AsherWI]

12. Duh.

I was in 6th grade at the time. After the 2006 mid-term election, I joined the Democratic Party.

But you wouldn't want to mention the facts because it wouldn't help your cause to destroy me.

[PeaceNikki]

22. Emphasis on the fact you were in 6th grade 5 years ago.

Lol

[LiberalAndProud]

28. Would you say you were

young and naive?

[bigwillq]

30. Eww. What an ugly response

to what I feel was very good advice.

Learn from people. You really don't know everything, even if you think you do.

Good luck.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

32. If you don't go to college you will likely kill any chance

of achieving any political office higher than dogcatcher. Have a look at the credentials of others who hold the office you want to run for. Just of out curiosity I looked up the Wisconsin legislature and read some randomly-selected biographies its members - and every one of them had at least a bachelor's degree. All of them (who were much younger than 60, by the way) had work experience in some other career, as well as extensive experience in community or other organizations. That's your competition. If you run for office with no life experience, no job experience and no education, do you really think you will be taken seriously?

All the enthusiasm and good intentions in the world won't help if you've never actually done anything. You have plenty of time to get the education and experience you need to be a credible political candidate long before you're 60. The world can wait for you to get it. Nobody wants to see you fall on your butt, but you will unless you take some of the excellent advice being offered here and do the hard work you need to do to prepare for the career you want.

[Drunken Irishman]

34. You're dismissive of reasonable advice...

Running for office is a big deal and should be a big deal. Voters need to understand you have the maturity, capacity and compassion to deal with the issues important to them. If you talk down to those same voters similarly to how you talk down to DUers (as you did in '08, I recall), you're not going to win anything and your name will inevitably become toxic.

My question to you, as someone who might donate to your campaign, do you have the ability to win? Maybe I'm in the minority here, but if I'm going to throw my hard earned money at a candidate, I want to know that they'll at least be viable. I work hard for my money and I don't have a lot of it - so, if it's just going to help fund your hobby, well that's not going to work for me.

How do you plan on winning?

Your opponent, Mike Endsley, defeated Terry Van Akkeren by a very narrow margin. Van Akkeren was an established Democrat who originally won the seat you're running for in 2002. What do you bring to the table that Van Akkeren didn't in 2010 and do you have the resources and connections to successfully challenge Endsley? Because just wanting to run isn't necessarily enough. Who's supporting your campaign?

Look, I'm glad a kid your age obviously has a great interest in politics. As someone who's only a few years older than you, it's great to see a fellow youth who's as politically astute as I am. But I also know how difficult it is to run a successful campaign. I've worked on a bunch of campaigns that have failed and prevailed. It's not easy and takes commitment, wide reaching support and a plan of action.

If you have that...let's hear it. No platitudes about helping the working class - what are you going to do to win and then what are you going to do to pass your agenda if you win?

That's what voters want to hear. Especially when dealing with an inexperienced high school student who has yet to really live in the real world. It might not totally be valid, but when you're talking to a 45 year old former assembly line worker who just lost his job and is about to lose his house because he hasn't paid his mortgage in a year, there will be a disconnect. Voters want someone with life experience. They want someone who seems to grasp their struggles. What can you tell that voter to assure that you, an 18 year old high school student who has never had to pay a bill or struggle to make ends meet financially, understand their struggles?

If you can answer those questions in a respectful and non-hostile manner, than I will definitely reassess my feelings on your campaign. But right now, I see you as an idealistic high school kid who is probably putting the cart way ahead of the horse.

Good luck regardless, though.

[Drunken Irishman]

36. I just noticed you ran for mayor of Sheboygan in a recall and lost only a few days ago...

http://www.wisn.com/r/30236018/detail.html

You received 38 votes - or, 0%. You finished last. You failed to gain any traction and, not even a few days after losing, decided to jump into another race. How do you plan on improving your 38 vote total in this election? I've got to say, you're only 18 and already find yourself turning into one of those fringe candidates who decides to run in every election. You want to be taken seriously? Well running election after election, where you're barely garnering any support, is going to quickly diminish your effectiveness and ability to be taken as a viable, serious candidate.

I'm sure every DUer has that one guy in their town who decides to run, and loses badly, in every race. You don't want to become that guy at such a young age. If you're really committed to seeking elected office, you need to go to college, work on some local campaigns, make connections, become respected within the party, don't do childish acts like creating a parody twitter account of your opponent and don't demean potential voters. In five or six years, when you're educated and hold a job, run for a smaller office other than mayor -or at least make sure you've got the connections needed to win.

[Nikia]

40. He needs to learn from the recent election and figure out what he needs to be a viable candidate

That probably will involve going to college and making more connections. That will probably will involve going door to door, attending any and all debates, and making his positions known to the public in a mature manner.
In my home area, there was a guy his age that ran for mayor that did get significant votes. Despite doing respectfully, he waited until he graduated from college to run for city council which he did successfully along with a couple friends who were also in their early 20's. In his late 20's, he is now mayor. He did it by using his time in college to get more involved in his local party and local government. You should do this too.

[Ruby the Liberal]

41. Are you in western PA?

Asking because Luke Ravenstahl is a true model of how a young person can really get a political career off the ground the right way.

[bigwillq]

31. Very good advice.

[mdmc]

3. congratulations!

[PeaceNikki]

7. People who want to help WI should send any extra $ to any WI Dem OTHER than him.

He is not a serious candidate and the fight in WI is too important to let this kid use it as a vehicle for attention and money. He may be a Democrat, but his antics and childish, hurtful, unfunny behavior do harm to the party and our state. This isn't a game, Asher.

[AsherWI]

11. Not a game to me.

But it seems like it is to you.

[PeaceNikki]

13. How so?

You see, I volunteer for my local Democratic Party and support viable, serious candidates across the state with my time and money. I have not run for office, setting up 'fake' misogynistic, homophobic, mean-spirited Twitter feeds to mock my opponent and his family.

You should also be prepared to explain your father's seemingly VERY serious felony from last year and the story behind faking your own death.

[AsherWI]

14. Oh my.

I don't have to explain my father's felony. Jesse Heimermann is Jesse. Not me. I haven't committed a crime. He has. Not me.

I have never faked my own death.

I've signed a Clean Campaign Pledge. Have a look: http://www.supportasher.com/cleancampaign.

[obamanut2012]

15. How did you fake your own death???

And why?

[AsherWI]

16. Again, lies. No truth. nt

[PeaceNikki]

18. Bullshit - you did 8/19/2008.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3822772

You scrubbed it, but you did.

Also referenced here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5646981

[AsherWI]

19. Lies again. You are being immature now. nt

[PeaceNikki]

20. I included links.

[uppityperson]

29. Those links show proof, not lies. Please explain why you faked your death? Thank you.

[Shining Jack]

37. Lol! Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?

"Asher Heimermann, 18-Year-Old, Refuses To Take Down Twitter Profile Poking Fun At Mayor"

"Since my last post was deleted this morning, I'm going to repost it... "

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/100237164

You're funny.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. Yes, the very same.

Search old DU, the whole saga is there.

[obamanut2012]

17. Michael Moore ran for school board whilst still in high school

And won, and was able to make a real difference during his time on the board. It was also a terrific springboard into state and national politics.

[MineralMan]

23. Some more advice:

Success wins. History wins. When you're running for a state legislative office, people want to know what you've done before. It's a great step up for people who have proven themselves in business, or in local offices, like school boards, city councils, etc. And even those local offices require some experience before people will vote for you. You have to be able to show them something that gives them confidence in you.

Yes, every once in a while, a very talented 18-year-old wins a local election, but it's very, very rare and is usually a local kid who has proven him or herself through lots of hard work during high school years, or through some extraordinary service of some kind. Lots of volunteering, some other kind of extraordinary achievement or leadership experience in a school setting. It's rare and it makes national news. It's so rare that each of those election winners is unique in some way to have earned the trust of local residents.

Most 18-year-olds have no such experience to show that they have the intelligence, judgment, and wisdom needed to take a role in government. I don't know you, so I don't know whether you're one of those rare exceptions. That you came in last in your recent mayoral bid is evidence that people did not think you did.

Some here have advised you to go to college. That's a very good idea. And while you're there, get heavily involved in political activity. Major in political science or community planning, or something like that. Get elected to student government and work your ass off to become someone who influences things in a beneficial way. Get your experience in a place where mistakes are allowed and can be overcome.

Then, in the place you decided to live, volunteer for seats on local commissions and other quasi-government things. Again, work your ass off and make a difference while doing that. Become part of that community and listen as much as you talk. Make friends with people who are successful and influential. Ask their advice. Listen to that advice. Help people whenever you can, and do it cheerfully and without demanding credit for it. They'll help you later.

Then, when you have some accumulated experience and a reputation for service and wisdom, run for local office, and serve well while in that office, should you win. If you lose, try again, and at the same level. If you win something like a school board seat, run for city council. If you win in a city council race, run for county board office.

Eventually, when you're in your mid to late 30s, you might be ready to mount a successful campaign to become a state legislator. Maybe. Many try. Most don't succeed. But, if you've established a reputation for being reasonable, are concerned with your community, and have helped many people with problems in your previous offices, you'll have a fair chance to win. It might take a few tries, but it's certainly doable.

What you're doing now will not succeed. You will not be elected to the state assembly at age 18. It simply won't happen, and you may begin your political career with a reputation for being a "perpetual candidate." That trick never works.

So, my advice is to use this time to prepare for eventually holding elective office. Demonstrate your sincerity and willingness to serve, and you'll be on the right path.

[obamanut2012]

24. That was good advice, MM

For anyone who wants to run for office.

[MineralMan]

26. I watched my brother on that path.

He started out as a member of the local volunteer fire department in his small California city, my own home town. After a few years, he ran for city council, and won the seat. Eventually, he ran for mayor and did a great job and earned a lot of respect. Finally, he tried running for state assembly. He lost spectacularly, because he was not known well outside of his town, which was only a small part of the assembly district. That was it for him politically. He changed directions.

I've also worked as a volunteer in many state legislature campaigns, some of them successful. It's almost always immediately clear whether the candidate has a real chance of winning, and that's based on the candidate's past record, even at that level.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

25. Excellent advice, MM.

Not that we are trying to pee in the OP's Wheaties, but the reality is that an 18-year-old simply is not equipped, either by experience or knowledge, to jump into statewide political office. There are any number of things a person his age could do to prepare for a political career. Going to college would be a good first step. It's pretty tough to be taken seriously in politics these days without a college degree. At the same time, volunteer for other candidates' campaigns to learn how the process really works and to make valuable contacts.

It's like any other career - you have to start at the bottom; you can't just waltz in at the top.

[XemaSab]

33. People might take you more seriously

if you knew how to spell the name of your elementary school.

[obamanut2012]

38. lol

[ellisonz]

35. I'm going to give you a gift.

A link to the Democracy for America Campaign Academy Training manual downloadable by chapter in PDF form: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/trainingmanual2009dfa

Also, listen to the people in this thread, they know what they're talking about.

Go to college and stop being so arrogant.

[obamanut2012]

39. I have a serious question for Asher

I was poking around the internet for info on your campaign, to see if we have been unfair to you, and I discovered that, during your mayoral campaign, you refused to show up for the "City Debate." Why did you refuse to do this? It would have been a terrific chance to showcase your platform, and how you hoped to help your city.

I personally look very askance at candidates who refuse to participate in debates.

[New7up]

42. Farewell!

[Armin-A]

43. Good luck. Please don't discredit advice

also might want to fix this

http://www.asherforwisconsin.com/blog/

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

44. The OP is no longer with us...

[Armin-A]

45. thanks, sorry did not pay attention