I wish I were ten or fifteen years older.

[Pacifist Patriot]

I want to run for Congress. Local democrats are asking me, my friends are encouraging me, my husband is prepared to support me, but my children need to be a little older and I need previous political experience. I soooo want to kick Rep. Pinhead butt during a campaign even if I don't win. Aggh! This is a frustrating feeling.

[Book Lover]

1. Edwards went straight to the US Senate

Why not you? :-)

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. I'm not a trial lawyer with a ton of dough.

;)

[Book Lover]

16. Good point

I think your idea downthread about volunteering for county-level boards first is a good idea. We're all behind you!

[Pacifist Patriot]

4. A question for you.

What kind of manuscripts do you study?

[Book Lover]

15. Early Western and Coptic

I am also a student of the Victorian binding style and technique.

[Pacifist Patriot]

19. What do you think of the Oxyrhynchus find?

[coffeenap]

3. You could call my new representative--she beat out an old line

Repub in a traditionally Repub. district here in Illinois. She has two young children who are great! She is Melissa Bean. (We are working to get her to take a more progressive position, but it's a start to have her there!) GOod luck.

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. I just looked up her site. Interesting.

Her youngest is 11 though. Mine is just about to turn 2. See? 10 years. She definitely looks like someone I would love to talk to though.

[coffeenap]

12. Yeah, would be hard with a 2 year old. But, like others have said,

how about a less demanding position? Or, you could be a support person for someone you approve of and make the contacts you will need in a few years to get your candidacy off and running. (Hope you do it--I'm too chicken.)

[GOPisEvil]

5. You could run for a local office to build recognition.

Even something like the school board or city council (which are non-partisan) will help. They might be less demanding on your time as well.

[MsTryska]

14. jsut what i was thinking.....

run for local office and oyu can get your prior political experience, and then run for a state-wide seat.

[coloradodem2005]

7. Good luck.

Hope you can at least make a statement in your campaign.

[yorkiemommie1]

8. maybe start w/ local school board?

or city council?

i live in a blue county in a blue state and yet the local school board sent Planned Parenthood packing. At least three of the five are rw.

good luck to you. never give up!

edit to say i see it's been suggested. but it works . i know someone who went from school board to state assembly.

[paul_fromatlanta]

10. The school board idea is good

To help you hit the ground running when you go for congress by building some name recognition and a donor list.

Good luck

Paul from Atlanta

[newyawker99]

20. Hi paul_fromatlanta!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Pacifist Patriot]

13. Local races are tough.

LOL! As if state and federal wouldn't be. Ha!

My county commissioner is an old friend even though she's a Republican.

My city council rep is the vice mayor and that good ole boy is going nowhere.

Not a chance of getting on the school board. We homeschool and even though our school board has had a homeschooling parent on it before it's not a good bet.

I think what I'm going to do is volunteer for one of the city committee positions, work on the campaign of whomever runs for Congress on the Democratic ticket and keep plugging away as a precinct captain.

I'll get there some day. Patience has never been one of my strongest suits.

[coffeenap]

18. I homeschool one of my two-- reason I will not, at this point, put

myself "out there". Plus, I am too honest and my mouth tends to have its own mind. Maybe when I grow up. (then I'll be too old...)

[jobycom]

9. Victor Morales in Texas was a high school civics teacher

He ran for the Seante against Kay Bailey Hutchison, and won the primaries, before losing to her in the general. He drove this old beat up pickup all over the state (this is Texas, a big state) making speeches. He kept his job, too, because he had no other way to finance the run. Very impressive.

It can be done. And even a loss sets you up for another run later.

[BamaLefty]

11. Florida--- What District?

You need NO previous experience. Look at Wes Clark, John Edwards, etc.

You'll do fine. But you need to look at your district and actually think if you have a shot to win.

[Bouncy Ball]

17. Hey, two words. Wes. Clark.

:rofl:

Seriously. I like your plan in your last post on this thread.

Patience, grasshopper. I feel ya. I'm still not so sure about it for myself (I like to say I'd much rather be the fire under an elected official's feet rather than the elected official with her feet on fire), but maybe. Someday. It's not out of the question.