Business owner Kim Halvorson of Priest Point is in class today, learning lessons that she hopes will lead to a new job this fall – state representative.
The 41-year-old Republican is in campaign school taking copious notes on reaching voters, raising money, writing mailers and dealing with reporters as she tries to unseat incumbent 38th Legislative District Rep. John McCoy, D-Tulalip.
“These are the experts giving the ABCs of campaigning,” she said. “I’m new at this. The learning curve is so great.”
This technical training is a must for first-time candidates such as Halvorson, consultants, campaign managers, lobbyists and those seeking such political vocations.
Dorothy Zimmerman of Everett is none of those, but has attended campaign school in the past. The knowledge boosts her value as a grass-roots activist for the Snohomish County Republican Party and a host of candidates.
“It provides a thorough check of what you need to do if you’re going to run, to manage a campaign or even to be a treasurer,” she said.
Campaign schools are sponsored throughout the year by each party, as well as different interest groups. Today’s is at the Meydenbauer Convention Center in Bellevue, where the state Republican Party convention will take place Friday and Saturday.
Halvorson knows a bit of what to expect from the contents of a manual handed out at a training hosted earlier this month by the Building Industry Association of Washington. The half-inch-thick guide offers a tip for targeting voters: “Hunt where the ducks are, know who not to talk to.”
There is advice on spending and charts for building a strong organization. For the media, the first rule is “Always assume incompetence.” Worksheets help hone the political message and how to raise money to deliver it.
“It’s like a start-up company,” said Halvorson, a Marysville native who last year founded OrthoFlow Inc., which sells post-operative pain-control medical devices.
The candidate is the product, she said, and success depends on identifying strengths, crafting a business plan and marketing the image in an honest way.
When she finishes the class, Halvorson will join the 2,500 people expected at the GOP convention.
On Friday, they’ll hear speeches from Republican members of Congress and candidates for statewide office. Marc Racicot, chairman of President Bush’s re-election committee, also will speak.
When the speeches end, officeholders and candidates will pound the convention floor.
“I’ll be there networking with supporters,” said state Sen. Dave Schmidt, R-Bothell. “These are the people who, when I need help, are the ones that I turn to.”
Jeff Merrill, who is challenging District 1 incumbent Rep. Al O’Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace, said the convention is important for him “to get my face and name recognized,” plus maybe line up endorsements and make connections for future fund-raising.
Halvorson said she expects to be everywhere. “This is all absolutely new to me,” said the woman whose previous election was in high school, where she won student body president of Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in Minnesota.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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