TL;DR
Thousands of qualified people never run for office because they think they have to be “the perfect candidate”.
Even the ones who do run, waste time aspiring to their vision of a perfect politician rather than actually connecting with voters.
The skills you need can be taught — we know because we’ve taught them to 125,000 Democrats. And now we want to teach them to you.
You may have heard that NDTC is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Over the last decade, we’ve trained over 125,000 Democrats to win elections, watched our alumni flip seats across the country, and built the infrastructure that generates massive Democratic talent. Now, we’re sharing all those insights with you.
This is the second installment of “10 Lessons in 10 Years,” a monthly series where we break down one insight we’ve seen proven true time and again, across thousands of campaigns.
Some of these lessons we’ve had to learn the hard way. Now you don’t have to. Notebooks out, pencils ready.
Our second campaign lesson is about something that stops thousands of promising potential leaders before they even start: the myth of the perfect candidate.
The Candidates Who Never Run
Over the past ten years, we’ve had countless conversations with people who would make excellent elected officials. They’re passionate about their communities. They understand the issues that matter in their neighborhoods. They have ideas for solutions. They’re eager to serve.
But they don’t run.
When we ask why, the answers are remarkably consistent:
“I don’t have enough political experience.” “I’ve never run for anything before.” “I don’t have the right background.” “I’m not connected enough.” “There are people more qualified than me.”
Here’s what all of these have in common: they’re based on the belief that there’s such a thing as a perfect candidate, and that you need to be that person to run.
But while people talk themselves out of running, less qualified people — sometimes with worse ideas and worse intentions — are filing for candidacies.
What Voters Actually Want
Here’s what we’ve learned from training over 125,000 Democrats: voters don’t want perfect candidates. They want authentic ones.
They want a candidate who knows why they’re running and talks about it honestly. Someone who’s been affected by the issues they’re running on. Someone deeply connected to the community they’re campaigning to represent.
We’ve watched candidates with long political careers lose to first-time candidates who are more in touch with their neighbors and can convey their vision better. We’ve seen school board candidates with no prior elected experience, beat incumbents because they showed up to community meetings and listened.
Polish wears off. Authenticity and hard work never do.
The “Perfect Candidate” Trap
The myth of the perfect candidate also holds back the ones who do run.
When people think they need to be the perfect candidate, they might:
Overcomplicate the message. You don’t need a 10-point plan for everything, you need a clear, simple answer to why you’re running.
Sound like an actor. Don’t use talking points and buzzwords instead of speaking like yourself. Again, authenticity is key. Voters can spot the lack of it fast, and they won’t connect.
Hide their story. You might think your personal experience isn’t reason enough to vote for you, so you lead with credentials instead of connection. But your story — the path that brought you to political engagement — is often the most powerful credential you have.
Hesitate to knock on doors. You don’t have to be afraid you won’t have the perfect answer to every question — and you’re likely overthinking what questions you’ll get in the first place. The good news is that campaigns are won through real conversations with voters, so every interaction is an opportunity. Get out there and talk to people!
The candidates who win aren’t the ones who pretend to be perfect. They’re the ones who are willing to be real.
What Actually Makes a Good Candidate
After a decade of training, here’s what we know matters:
You know why you’re running. Not just what office you want, but why it matters to you personally and what you can do with it.
You’re willing to do the work. Running for office is hard. It’s knocking doors in bad weather. It’s getting comfortable with fundraising calls. It’s being willing to be told off by people who answer the door or the phone. The best candidates are the ones committed to the work that goes unseen long before they ever make it to office.
You can listen. Good candidates don’t do all the talking. They ask what people care about and adjust their approach based on what they hear. You don’t need to know everything on day one — in fact, you absolutely won’t know everything, even on Election Day. You need to be willing to learn.
You’re running for the right reasons. This question sounds obvious, but we want you to actually think it through: Are you running because you want to serve, or because you want the title? Your gut will tell you the answer, and it matters that you listen. Because it will become evident one way or another.
Notice that none of these things require a perfect résumé – but they all require commitment, authenticity, and a willingness to show up.
Permission to Run
If you’re reading this and thinking about running but haven’t started yet, let’s be clear: you don’t need permission. But if you’re waiting for it, here it is.
The perfect candidate doesn’t exist. Voters are waiting for the right candidate — someone who’s authentic, committed, and willing to do the work — and that might be you. If you read this post, we’re willing to bet it is.
And if you’re still not sure? That’s what our trainings are for. At NDTC, we’ve trained everyone from first-time school board candidates to people running for Congress. We can teach you how to build a campaign, how to talk to voters, how to raise money, and how to win.
Ten years in, this is one of the lessons we’re most certain about: the best candidates are the ones who start and stay open, authentic, and committed.
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