Fighting Against the Swamp, from TX to DC – Ron Wright
Motivations for running for office boil down to two: You want to BE somebody or DO something. Ron Wright is running for Congress because he wants to DO something. Today we’re talking about his background in elected office, especially as a fantastic Tax Collector, and why he’s running. He’s got some great advice.
Today we’re talking with Ron Wright, the Tax Assessor-Collector in my home county about his run for Congress and what he’s learned through his previous elections.
First, I want to say thank you to Campaign Sidekick for supporting this podcast. Visit campaignsidekick.vote to find out how their best-in-breed voter contact platform can revolutionize your campaign and help you win! Sidekick is rolling out a ton of great new features this year and y’all should check it out!
Ron Wright has been the Tax Assessor-Collector for Tarrant County for the last 7 years. Before that he worked as a Chief of Staff and District Director in Congress for several years and even further back, he was elected to the Arlington, TX city council several times.
No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders – Raz Shafer
Leadership isn’t a state of being, it’s a skill. One that needs to be constantly honed. You can’t be TOO good at leadership. But it’s really easy to be a bad leader.
This week we’re taking a look at a chapter from Extreme Ownership (by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin) which discusses the principle that there are “No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders.” It’s something that I believe and as you strive to hold a larger leadership role, whether in public service or within a campaign organization, it’s an attitude and belief you need to adopt.
I quote at length from Chapter 2 of Extreme Ownership and give some commentary to illuminate the lesson. Then we wrap up the episode talking about the specific ways that the knowledge contained within the chapter applies to your campaign.
It’s a bit of a departure from our normal episode type but after hearing complaints from a number of friends and listeners about bad leaders making the failings the chapter discusses, I felt it was important material to share. I hope y’all enjoy it!
Show Notes:
[00:00] Introduction [03:45] Extreme Ownership: No Bad Teams, Only Bad Leaders [18:43] Campaign Application [32:01] Conclusion and OutroWhat Losing and Legislating Teach about Winning in Politics – Matt Rinaldi
Matt Rinaldi has won and lost campaigns. Sometimes by extremely close margins. After serving several sessions in the Texas State Legislature, he knows what it feels like to win and lose legislative battles. He knows why he’s there and what he believes in. More than that, he’s willing to fight for both with every political and procedural weapon available.
I hope y’all are having a great week and making things happen on the campaign trail! If you haven’t yet, make sure you subscribe and review the podcast. It’s by far the best way to help get the word out about what we’re doing and I greatly appreciate it!
Before we get started with Matt Rinaldi, I want to thank Campaign Sidekick for supporting this podcast. Visit www.campaignsidekick.vote to find out how their best-in-breed voter contact platform can revolutionize your campaign and help you win! In addition to establishing a nationwide client base, Sidekick was named by the Republican National Committee as one of their 5 approved and tested voter contact platforms. Definitely something y’all should check out for your ground game!
3 Tips for Winning at Life and in Politics – Raz Shafer
Strong non-political relationships, living on a written personal budget and loving God, Family and Country first may not seem like obvious fodder for a political campaign podcast…but if you don’t follow the lessons we talk about today, you’re not going to win at politics…or life.
Thank you to Campaign Sidekick for supporting this podcast. Visit campaignsidekick.vote to find out how their best-in-breed voter contact platform can revolutionize your campaign and help you win!
So many of the ‘political’ problems I see candidates and elected officials fall prey to have a genesis in their personal lives. They should have seen them coming a mile away but somehow lost the obvious in a personal blindspot. Today we’re talking about three subjects that I think are vitally important to keeping your house in order and making sure you maximize your political impact while keeping you and your family strong.
Your Brains Trust: I’ve grown up with a strong group of friends that have helped invest in me and keep me accountable. In adulthood, I’ve added to that network through Mastermind groups and dedicated work to develop meaningful relationships. I share some of the ways I’ve done that and the ways they’ve mattered to me. Plus, we’ll discuss how to keep your marriage strong during a campaign.