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President Trump’s win in the 2016 election and Republican losses in 2018 revealed three new truths about winning political campaigns that all candidates better learn if they wish to be successful.

First truth. You need plans for what you wish to do not just stances on the issues. In 2016, Donald Trump laid out his plans for everything including, most importantly, who he would nominate for Supreme Court Justices. This energized many fence sitters and usually apathetic voters and carried them into his camp, giving him the Presidency. Contrast this with Republicans who had a “stance” on repealing and replacing Obamacare for seven years and then could not carry the ball across the goal line because all they had was a stance and not a plan. It hurt us in 2018 as we lost the House.

Having plans tells voters you understand the issues and the problems they face; that you are intelligent enough to figure out solutions; and most significantly, that you are a leader and not just another one of the sheep. Plans are a must.

Second Truth. Money is not as important as your willingness to put forth the effort and make the sacrifices necessary in order to get your plans to the people. Yes, a certain amount of money is necessary to get your plans out there but doing it personally is much more effective and does not cost nearly as much as other means. Donald Trump held three or four rallies a day, seven days a week right up to the very early morning of election day and it showed in the results.

Talking to crowds for an hour or two fully conveys your message to them; builds energy and momentum; and is a much more efficient means of getting your plans to the people than knocking on individual doors. Besides, with everyone that keeps talking about getting the money out of politics, bragging about how much money you have raised may have more of a negative effect than what is realized.

Third truth. You do not have to have political experience to be able to influence people and get the job done. Any entrepreneur knows our customers span the entire spectrum of society and in order for us to be successful we must be able to convince them that we are the best person for the job they should entrust us with their money. If we fail at that, we do not get paid and our families suffer the consequences. If a politician fails at their job, they still get paid and all the rest of us suffer the consequences.

President Trump, and his “art of the deal”, are transforming not only how things are done in Washington but around the world and we are all better off for it. Political experience is becoming another negative factor on a candidates resume as the President is showing common sense and business savvy to be much more of an asset in getting the will of the people done.

In my campaign for Iowa’s First Congressional District seat I have embraced all three of these new truths and the Trumpian results are starting to show.

Author: Thomas Hansen

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