My Election Results

[Martin Hash]

Well, did that: < 1% of the vote. The positives are:
1) Okay ROI.
2) It won't take much to double my success next time; it's even possible I could increase the order-of-magnitude.
3) Extended my "streak."
4) I didn't learn anything that does work but I did find a lot of things that don't.
5) And best of all, I can say I was a federal candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives!

[C-Mag]

Good attitude.
Looks like you're using the Edison model for making a light bulb

Too bad it didn't got better. It's a tough market out there for a candidate like you. Hang in there, there is a political awakening taking spreading in this country right now. Keep at it.



So let me ask you, what would you do differently next time ?

[Hastur]

Was there a final debate somewhere?

[SuburbanFarmer]

How much did you advertise? Yard signs, etc?

How much did you canvas? Shaking hands at fairs? Speaking at churches/lodges/markets?

[Martin Hash]

So let me ask you, what would you do differently next time ?

Less.

The more people hear what I have to say, the fewer votes I get. Last time I didn't put anything in the Voter's Pamphlet but my degrees. Nothing, I left all the other questions blank. Last time I had no issues that I promoted; this time I was "the No Tolls guy," and I had 8 issues that I discussed on the Internet. In previous attempts, I'd learned NOT to talk to the newspaper, but this time I gave them full access. Do NOT talk to the newspapers unless you're their guy.

Doubling the number of signs this year were ineffective but I don't think they reduced votes.

[Martin Hash]

This was the first year I had an Internet presence. I had 1500 Friends on Facebook, and I posted every day to various groups, and on my own timeline in the last couple months. I wasn't concerned that half the comments were ad hominin attacks; I know what the Internet is like. I figured since I could take it, I had an advantage over the other candidates, NONE of which participated on Facebook. I was concerned that I only had a couple Likes, once-in-a-while, yet people posting pictures of their dog were getting 100s. I also wondered why no one was Sharing my posts. Most-of-all, I couldn't get more than 2-dozen people to Like my page yet my competitors, who didn't post, had 10,000. I figured they bought them from Myanmar.

The one thing that fits, and I use it in my career to make decisions all the time: there has to be some indication that what you're doing will succeed. It doesn't have to be much, but walk away when there is no feedback. I think that's the situation online.

[Martin Hash]

How much did you advertise? Yard signs, etc?

How much did you canvas? Shaking hands at fairs? Speaking at churches/lodges/markets?

There's a competitor, David McDevitt, who based his campaign on that kind of thing; I think he had over 100 "Town Halls," and many 100s of signs. This is his second time running, and he did the same thing before; so maybe some pent-up loyalty. It seems to have worked; he got almost 8%. However, it cost him 4 years of his life, and a $700,000 campaign. Those aren't numbers I'd repeat

[clubgop]

Lot of money in this district. A Hispanic female Republican incumbent, GOP will protect this seat. Dems have eyes it but we will see how they devote resources.

My .02, too local instead of national. House races have become nationalized, local issues like tolls get you bogged down. Next time, no issues or very little on issues work on the brand.

[Martin Hash]

Lot of money in this district. A Hispanic female Republican incumbent, GOP will protect this seat. Dems have eyes it but we will see how they devote resources.

My .02, too local instead of national. House races have become nationalized, local issues like tolls get you bogged down. Next time, no issues or very little on issues work on the brand.

Agree & agree.