Have been exchanging emails over the past few days with another disciple of copywriting legend Dan Kennedy’s brand of direct response marketing, messaging and media.
He’s working with a congressional candidate who ran in 2018 and came up short … but is preparing for another go at it next year. Which reminded me of my friend Roger Stone’s Rule #78…
The Best Candidate is One Who’s Lost Once
“Running a losing effort teaches a candidate how the political system and the media work and prepares them to be a better candidate. Candidates who are afraid to lose are candy asses. …
“A candidate who bounces back from a first-race loss and returns to the field a more skilled candidate, hungry enough to put themselves through another campaign grind, is the next best thing to an incumbent running either for reelection or for another public office.”
Elsewhere in the book, Roger notes that Lincoln “lost races for the Illinois legislature, House, and two bids for the Senate before he eventually won the White House.”
In addition, he notes that late Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Spector “lost races for district attorney, governor and Senator before finally snagging a Senate seat in 1980.”
“The only way to lose with certainty is to choose to quit,” says Avina Celeste. “If you never quit, you can never fail.”
Don’t be a quitter. Mount up!
Cheers.
Dr. Chuck Muth, PsD
THE CAMPAIGN DOCTOR
Professor of Psephology*
(homeschooled)
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* Psephology (see-follow-gee): The study of campaigns and elections