American Maggie

There was no lifelong dream fueling my entry into politics, I entered politics as a reaction to what was going on in my life at that time. I was a mother of three daughters under age 4, working as a law clerk at the state Supreme Court and handling my life. One day, my husband, a physician received a call about the need to get involved in a battle at the state legislature- a battle that affected our very livelihood. That was my call to action. And, I have never looked back.

It was never my dream to be in politics….NEVER !  My life’s plan was to raise my family and practice law. Now, this is not to say that I was not involved in the process: I voted in every election, I was a member of the TARs (Teen Aged Republicans) in the late ‘60’s and I volunteered in some campaigns for my friends’ fathers. But, not me-  a life of politics was not something I planned. Often people plan a career around running for office; for others, making the decision to run is sometimes a gut reaction to what is going on in your arena. That call rocked my world- and changed it.

My first campaign was successful despite my lack of campaign knowledge and experience so I offer some suggestions for making the decision to run.

1)      Know your strengths and weaknesses as well as those of your potential opponents

In today’s world of social media, any photo that was ever taken of you can be posted. You certainly do not want a ”Paris Hilton moment” or even something less risqué. Remember, jilted fiancés, angry neighbors, and disgruntled employees all have a means by which to torpedo your aspirations.

2)      Be able to answer the question: Why are you running ?

Ted Kennedy’s Presidential aspirations imploded when he could not answer the question: “Why are you running?” If you are not able to state at least one good reason you are running then you should not be running. This is not only because you need to answer that question in public but you need to answer that question for yourself. My first election was for the New Orleans City Council and I ran because I was raising my children in a City with the nation’s highest crime rate and I wanted them to be safe, I was scared. They say if good people who have the knowledge and ability to serve don’t run for office, then you get second rate politicians.  Bad politicians usually result in bad government.

3)      Prepare your family and friends.

Have a real, heart-to-heart, conversation with your family. Let them know what to expect and warn them that the campaign can get nasty. My daughters were in high school and college when I ran for the United States Senate, and even at that age, they were not prepared to see their mother get hurt in a campaign. Also, remember your family is your refuge. I have a few “home rules.” First, don’t make the campaign the center of your life at home. (Tivo/DVR is great for not being bombarded with negative ads.)  Second, try to have at least one meal a day at home with your family, it keeps you grounded and they know that they are an important part of your life; and, third, try to never miss an athletic event or school function. Remember: someone has to be the mother and, no matter how equal your marriage, it is usually the woman.

Your friends are hard because in the early stages you have to depend on them for your initial support, your seed money and your first open houses. When you ask a friend for help you can feel as if you are imposing and, even though a person is your personal friend, they may not be your political friend.

4)      Learn to raise money.

Only once in my political career have I used a professional fundraiser and that was in a race for the United States Senate; but, I have never had trouble asking for money. How to ask?  Practice. Fundraising is something that can be learned by raising money for a candidate, your children’s school, a non-profit in your area, or a cause that is important to you. Once you learn how to ask and sell that product, you learn to ask and sell yourself. Donors love to be in contact with the potential candidate and you have to be ready for rejection. If someone says no, don’t write them off, go back. It is always surprising who will give you money and for what reason.

5)      Be a filter.

Throughout your planning and decision making process, be prepared to filter the information you are receiving. You will hear all kinds of rumors, receive all sorts of advice, and all kinds of people will want to help. Use your filtering system to determine what is important and what is not- is it really important that your potential opponent is at a school fair? It depends.

Is the campaign consultant who ran your Congresswoman’s campaign the best person for your judgeship race? Maybe not. Ultimately, you are the best judge, filter the information and trust your gut.

6)      Don’t run to gain name recognition.

I have heard time and again about people running for office knowing they cannot win in order to build name recognition. Don’t do it! Why put your family and friends through a campaign if you know you won’t win just to build name ID? There are plenty of ways to build name ID in your community. You can help in the aforementioned fundraising efforts, you can help another candidate (that also gets that person’s supporters on your side), you can get involved in your church or neighborhood group. But, don’t put yourself, your friends and your family through a campaign you know you can’t win just to build a name.

7)      Be prepared to lose.

The first time I asked myself the question “What happens if I lose?” It was the night before my first election- it was a question I should have asked before I qualified. You never want to lose, but you need to know what can happen if you do. Will you lose your job? Will you lose clients? What will you do after the campaign? How will your family fare?

Losing is a reality because someone has to lose. It is important to remember that an election doesn’t reflect on your worth but is merely a day in the life of the community. It depends who turned out, what they were thinking, what was on the news the night before, etc. Be prepared for the good and the bad.

It is important that good, conservative women enter the political arena at all levels. My convictions are stronger now than ever. And like so many women out there, I do not believe that Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Boxer speak for me. Now, the question remains: will we sit on the sidelines, accept the status quo and wait for someone else to step up? Or are we going to answer the call ?

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Suzanne Haik Terrell is the Founder and Co-Chairman of Project GOPink.  A lawyer by training, Terrell has served in appointed and elected office.  Elected statewide in 1999, Terrell remains the only Republican woman ever elected to statewide office in Louisiana.  In 2002, she won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate and lost in the closely watched national campaign against the Democratic incumbent.  The race was historic for the fact that it was the first Senate race in history with two women representing their respective parties.  Terrell lives in New Orleans with her husband of more than thirty years, they have three daughters.