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In Clearwater, Florida, as the countdown to the midterm elections reaches eight months, there’s a burgeoning movement across the Tampa Bay area aimed at inspiring younger generations to dive into the political arena and consider candidacies for public office.
At the forefront of this initiative is Run for Something, a progressive organization dedicated to assisting first-time candidates as they tackle what can often be a daunting electoral journey. This group is committed to demystifying the complexities of running for office, providing crucial support to those venturing into the political landscape for the first time.
Melanie Rose, a prominent figure within the organization, reflects on the origins of this movement. “It emerged significantly as a reaction to the initial presidency of Donald Trump. In that year, we witnessed a surge of enthusiasm with thousands stepping forward, eager to pursue local office,” she explained.
Since its inception in 2017, Run for Something has seen over 250,000 individuals express interest in participating in local and state elections. Rose highlights that the current climate of fear and frustration continues to serve as a powerful motivator for many aspiring candidates.
“Many people initially ran out of concern for what the Trump presidency might entail, while others were driven by anger over potential implications,” Rose noted. “Today, we observe similar sentiments fueling the desire to engage in the political process.”
Issues such as affordable housing, public transportation and immigration are top of mind for many prospective candidates. Still, Rose said the mechanics of running for office often discourage people before they even begin.
“I think it comes across as really scary because especially a place like Florida — you have to get petition signatures, you have to pay to get onto the ballot — and it can be both really expensive, and the process isn’t always super clear,” she said.
While candidates seeking Run for Something’s endorsement must be progressive, the idea of younger adults entering politics is finding support across party lines.
“We brand ourselves as not your grandfather’s GOP,” said Jake Hoffman, executive director of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans. “That means we do disagree on some of the policies that have been longstanding in the Republican Party. Young people are coming into the parties bringing their own ideology and their own policy changes.”
Hoffman added that engagement matters regardless of party affiliation.
“It’s important for both the young people on the left and the right to work within the system to change the things that they don’t like,” he said.
Run for Something is hosting another virtual event before the end of the month, including a candidate introduction call designed to walk prospective candidates through the basics of running for local office.
To find out more about the virtual candidate introduction event along with additional information, click here.
To learn more about the Tampa Bay Young Republicans, click here.