You’ve probably heard the phrase: “Money talks.”
But when it comes to campaigns, some money, local money in particular, speaks louder than others.
Sure, a $500 donation from a local business owner and a $500 donation from across the country may spend the same. But make no mistake: One donation moves the needle further than the other.
Here are three reasons why in-district dollars matter most:
1. People talk
You want voters talking about how and why they support you.
Whether they’re discussing phone banking, canvassing, or donating – authentic, firsthand praise is worth its weight in gold.
If all, or even most, of your donations come from outside of the district in which you’re running, there’s far less opportunity for your campaign to draw that organic, word-of-mouth support it might otherwise have if your base were local.
2. Your opposition is watching
When the time comes to report your fundraising numbers, you can bet that a competent opposition campaign will be watching.
They’ll be monitoring where your donations are coming from just as closely as how much you’ve raised.
Because let’s face it: if you’re struggling to raise in-district dollars, what does that say about your ability to earn votes?
A heavily skewed out-of-district fundraising ratio is a lay-up for your opponents to paint you as an outsider.
For example, if your out-of-district fundraising is concentrated in so-called “enemy territory,” the attack ads write themselves.
3. One dollar in-district equals one vote
This point is pretty straightforward, but it matters.
An in-district donation is the closest thing to a vote you can possibly bank on; aside from maybe a dedicated volunteer.
If someone is going to invest their time, energy, or hard earned money in your campaign, then they’ll likely take that final step into the polling booth to cast their vote too.
So, what’s the takeaway?
Raise all the money you can, from everywhere you can, as long as it’s legal and ethically sound. In this day and age, your campaign is going to need it.
But don’t neglect low-dollar in-district donors by spending all of your time chasing out-of-district unicorns.
Money talks, and voters are listening.
Zach Cronan, Vice President of Strategy and Ops at Politicoin, lives in Central Texas with his wife, Sarah, their cat, Kitty, and a dozen chickens.
