If you’ve spent any time around political campaigns this year, you’ll have heard the stories. One candidate started field operations — knocking on doors, organizing volunteers, speaking directly with voters — months later than usual because the campaign couldn’t find anyone to take charge. Another had no press team until after Labor Day, despite being locked in a toss-up race. Quite a few, in fact, have gone the entire campaign cycle without a single press staffer.
The Great Resignation — that much-reported, post-COVID shutdown trend shaking up all sorts of industries — hit politics just in time for the midterm elections. I’m on conference calls daily with Democratic congressional campaigns across the country, and the lament is always the same: Our campaigns are understaffed and can’t make essential hires.
There are good reasons for this. After all, why would a talented recent college graduate, already burdened with student debt, sign on to work around the clock at a job that would require them to move across the country and that might not pay enough to cover basic needs?
