Shownotes
A comprehensive exploration of the intricacies associated with running for local office in South Carolina is presented through an engaging dialogue between Amii Bland and Bill Kimler, a two-time candidate for the South Carolina House of Representatives. The conversation delves into the foundational aspects of political candidacy, illuminating the essential steps that aspiring politicians must take prior to launching their campaigns. Kimler emphasizes the significance of gaining practical experience by volunteering on existing campaigns, as this engagement equips prospective candidates with invaluable insights into the mechanics of electioneering and constituent outreach. Moreover, the episode touches upon the structure and operation of the South Carolina House of Representatives, underscoring the responsibilities of the citizen legislators who are elected to represent diverse districts across the state every two years. Through this informative dialogue, listeners gain a nuanced understanding of the challenges and rewards inherent in the political process, as well as the motivations that drive individuals to seek public office in their communities.
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Transcripts
Welcome to Wonderland, the podcast where I go down the rabbit hole to research things you may be curious about.
Speaker A:My name is Amie and I'll be your guide on this trip to Wonderland.
Speaker A:Hi there my wonderlings and welcome back for another episode of welcome to Wonderland.
Speaker A:As you may know, I've been trying to find a way to have more guests on to help us learn about things we might wonder about.
Speaker B:I wonder, I wonder, I wonder, I.
Speaker A:Wonder, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder, I wonder.
Speaker A:Well, this episode was actually suggestion from the person who would be the guest host.
Speaker A:Bill Kemmler, two time candidate for South Carolina House of Representatives and co host of Black, White and Blue in the south, reached out to me and asked if you guys might be interested in hearing what it's like to run for office in South Carolina and answer some questions you've maybe wondered about but didn't really know.
Speaker A:I asked around and the answer was a resounding yes.
Speaker A:So I booked Bill for our April episode.
Speaker A:Before I get too far into this episode, I want to thank Preach Jacobs, who I'm really hoping to have on our show too, for allowing us to record at Soul House Art Gallery on Lincoln street in the Vista in Columbia, South Carolina.
Speaker A:You can follow Soul House on Instagram at Soulhouse Art or visit the website@soulhouseart.com to to learn more about this great studio and some of the events they have coming up, such as their free event Soul House Coffee Club, which is every last Wednesday of the month from 9am till 11am Again, thank you so much to Preach Jacobs and be sure to check out Soul House S O u L H A U S Art Gallery if you're in town and if you're not from the area.
Speaker A:Show them some love by following them to help support local artists.
Speaker A:Anyway, now before we get into the interview with Bill, I wanted to take a moment to give you some information about state government.
Speaker A:We discussed way back in episode six the branches of the government, but that was at a federal level.
Speaker A:Today's conversation is going to be specifically on running for local office here in South Carolina.
Speaker A:The South Carolina House of representatives consists of 124 part time citizen legislators who are elected every two years to represent the 124 districts we have.
Speaker A:Their session runs from the second Tuesday in January through the second Thursday in May.
Speaker A:The South Carolina Senate is made up of 46 citizens and serve four year terms.
Speaker A:These two entities together are responsible for proposing laws that apply to South Carolinians.
Speaker A:This is considered a bicameral legislature and while we're not here to talk about Nebraska.
Speaker A:It wouldn't be Wonderland if I didn't go down a rabbit hole.
Speaker A:It turns out every state except Nebraska has a bicameral legislature.
Speaker A: the lower house was nixed in: Speaker A:Now they're just the Nebraska Legislature.
Speaker A:They're the smallest state legislature in the entire Nation with only 49 members.
Speaker A:But back to South Carolina.
Speaker A: ent that we discussed back in: Speaker A:There are three branches just like the federal government, and we're going to be talking about running for office for the legislative branch, although some of the conversation is relevant for other local offices, such as town council or mayor, for example.
Speaker A: egislative sessions since the: Speaker A: d since the very first one in: Speaker A:But I know you're all itching to hear from Bill, so I'll just link some information on the website if you're curious.
Speaker A:So, without further ado, here is my conversation with Bill on what it's like running for local office in South Carolina.
Speaker C:He said, okay.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker C:Hi there, my wonderlings, and welcome to another episode of welcome to Wonderland.
Speaker C:Today I'm here with host of Black, White and Blue in the South, Bill Kimler.
Speaker C:And we are going to talk about the behind the scenes and nitty gritty of what it's like to run for office here in South Carolina.
Speaker C:So before we get started, let's learn a little more about Bill.
Speaker B:Well, before we learn about May, I want to give a disclaimer.
Speaker B:This topic came from a message I sent you after hearing one of your episodes.
Speaker B:So if this episode turns out terribly, I will accept full blame for the idea and execution.
Speaker B:So you are off the hook and.
Speaker C:We will absolutely send it out into the ether and say, hey, this is Bill's fault.
Speaker C:So guys, if you don't like this episode, you know what to do.
Speaker B:My fault entirely.
Speaker B:So my name is Bill Kimler.
Speaker B:I am a co host of Black, White and Blue in the South.
Speaker B:It is a podcast now on its third year, where we cover politics with a lot of humor and information at the same time, with a democratic flair.
Speaker B:So that's what we do.
Speaker B:But my real job is in it.
Speaker B:I'm a software product manager for a multinational retail company.
Speaker B:On any given day, I'm on conference calls with Israel and India And California and South Africa.
Speaker B:And it's just really interesting being in a global world.
Speaker B:But outside of my paid job, I love the world of politics.
Speaker B:So much so that I actually ran for office unsuccessfully twice in the past four years.
Speaker C:And will you be running again?
Speaker B:I do not think so.
Speaker B:It is now down to a 1% chance, as I have given it my shot, a good shot twice.
Speaker B:But I'm going to see if another name emerges and put my support wholeheartedly behind that other name.
Speaker C:Oh, that sounds like you have a specific other name in mind.
Speaker B:I have Batman in mind.
Speaker B:That is who I hope rises and runs for office, at least in our district.
Speaker C:And that's District 13 up near Greenwood, right?
Speaker B:In South Carolina?
Speaker B:That's correct.
Speaker C:All right, well, let's go ahead and get into this.
Speaker C:So when you messaged me about potentially doing an episode, you had just listened.
Speaker C:And I guess probably the first time you ever listened to welcome to Wonderland, it was you had just listened to the episode that I did with Barrett Gruber, who's host of All About Nothing, where we discuss kind of what it's like to make a podcast and the behind the scenes and what goes into it.
Speaker C:And that's what got your brain kind of churning on this topic.
Speaker C:And you're like, hey, have you ever considered doing this but from the political realm?
Speaker C:So what it's like to run for office?
Speaker C:And I hadn't.
Speaker C:That was the first time that that had ever popped into my mind, and that was courtesy of you.
Speaker C:But after that, I did start asking people, you know, what kinds of things are you curious about as far as running for office goes?
Speaker C:So what are some of the things that, like, you know about it?
Speaker C:Politics is everywhere.
Speaker C:But how does it.
Speaker B:Well, let's not skip over the fact that you issued a concern and warning after I submitted that topic idea.
Speaker B:You were worried that I would come in dressed in a rainbow flag with posters and signs and handing out political stickers and giving, you know, speeches and can.
Speaker B:And I said, no, that's not the intent.
Speaker B:So I'm going to be as nonpartisan as possible.
Speaker B:I've got a whole political podcast where I get to let out my lefty side, but here is more about the mechanics and the motivations, the practical aspects of it.
Speaker B:And I thought that might make something interesting, especially given the bent of your show.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:I thought it'd be a perfect fit.
Speaker C:I agree entirely.
Speaker C:So let's start at the beginning, then.
Speaker C:So if a person wants to run for office, how do they start?
Speaker B:I would say before you started to run for office, work on somebody else's campaign.
Speaker B:That's what I did.
Speaker B:So don't just come out of the blue and say, I'm going to run for President of the United States.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Get involved at the local level.
Speaker B:Find a city council person, county council, state house, state senate, some local position that you know, somebody that you like and trust and say, can I help?
Speaker B:And then kind of get your feet wet that way.
Speaker B:Get the experience.
Speaker B:And I had done that for two campaigns, in fact, for the same position that I myself ended up running for.
Speaker B:But two people prior to me had tried and I worked on their campaigns, and it helped me kind of learn the mechanics of what do you do to run a campaign?
Speaker B:Now, these weren't professional politicians themselves, so we were all learning as we went.
Speaker B:But I was able to take a lot of what I learned on those campaigns and then apply it to my own.
Speaker C:So that's actually a good transition to one of the questions, which was when you are running for office and how do you get a campaign manager?
Speaker C:How do you get people?
Speaker C:Is there a website that's like, hey, I'd like to volunteer my time, or is it really just like you did?
Speaker B:And yeah, there's an Uber for campaign manager campaign.
Speaker B:You just dial one up and they DoorDash one to you.
Speaker C:What's the name of that service?
Speaker B:Well, I don't know if I'm the best person to ask because I ran both of my campaigns without a dedicated campaign manager.
Speaker B:Okay, Was that a great idea?
Speaker B:Well, I don't know.
Speaker B:I didn't win.
Speaker B:But, you know, there are many, many other campaigns out there that have a campaign manager who didn't win as well.
Speaker B:So it could be a mixture of things.
Speaker B:I think the smaller the races, the less of a need there is for a campaign manager.
Speaker B:I think once you hit state senate level or higher, you know, if you're trying to run for Congress or state senate governor or something like that, yeah, you must have a campaign manager, because the geographic territory is just too great.
Speaker B:Now, what I had in my last campaign was a campaign team, and they were just volunteers who kind of formed themselves.
Speaker B:And then we got into a cadence of meeting every week, going over some things.
Speaker B:We had an official treasurer, we had a marketing web designer.
Speaker B:But really the management of the campaign was the candidate themselves.
Speaker B:Like, I dictated where I wanted to be.
Speaker B:People brought ideas in, but I didn't have a need, at least at that level, for a campaign manager.
Speaker C:So then let's talk about the team a little bit.
Speaker C:Yeah, I know you said that you went to somebody and was like, hey, I want to work on.
Speaker C:Is it the same way kind of in general, or is not going back to the Uber of the campaign team, but.
Speaker C:Or do you put feelers out there like, hey, I'm looking for someone who's good with money to manage the campaign funds.
Speaker C:I'm looking for someone who's good with websites to do a.
Speaker C:Or do they just kind of.
Speaker C:What does that process even look like?
Speaker B:Well, it's going to be different for every person.
Speaker B:The way I did it was at the local Democratic county party meeting and there's maybe 80 people in attendance.
Speaker B:And we put out signups, gave a kickoff speech, says, I'm looking for people who would want to help with finances, people who want to help with messaging, people who want to help organize events, meet and greets or campaign appearances.
Speaker B:And we were blessed to find people to fill all those roles who stepped up to that and did a great job with it.
Speaker B:But it was just putting feelers out.
Speaker B:There's another path you could go, and that is to pay an official firm.
Speaker B: n pay thousand bucks a month,: Speaker C:Okay, so let's talk about money then.
Speaker C:And anything that you're not comfortable disclosing, then that's fine.
Speaker B:But I made $1 billion on my campaign.
Speaker B:I'll disclose it now.
Speaker C:Big fat liar.
Speaker C:So does it cost anything to run for office?
Speaker C:Like, is there an application fee?
Speaker C:Is there any kind of startup fee just to run?
Speaker B:There is.
Speaker B:So there is a minimal amount that you need.
Speaker B:There is a filing fee depending upon the position you're running for.
Speaker B:So state house, let's say it was 280 bucks.
Speaker B:You know, I may be wrong by $10 here or there.
Speaker B:Okay, but let's say it was 280.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:In fact, county council was actually more expensive to run for as a county council person because they represent more people than it was for a state house, State Senate.
Speaker B:It's, you know, say it's 500, 600 bucks that you have to file, but you only have to pay a filing fee if you run under a party.
Speaker B:So in fact, the check that I made out was not to the state of South Carolina.
Speaker B:I made it out to the South Carolina Democratic Party.
Speaker B:And a Republican nominee would make it out to the Republican.
Speaker B:And if you did it under the Labor Party, you have to write them a check.
Speaker B:And those are the fees set by law, not by the Parties.
Speaker C:So it's the same whether it's Democrat or Republican.
Speaker B:But if you run as an independent, I believe, and I could be fact checked, there's nobody to write a check to.
Speaker B:You don't have to file.
Speaker B:I mean, you still have to file to say I'm a candidate.
Speaker B:But you don't have to pay a filing fee.
Speaker B:That is only for recognized parties within the state.
Speaker C:I wonder why that is.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker C:We'll have to find that out later, friends.
Speaker C:So you've paid your campaign fee.
Speaker C:Where does that money come from?
Speaker B:It can come from a couple of things.
Speaker B:It could come from your personal checking account.
Speaker B:So I did 200 some bucks.
Speaker B:I said I'll put that.
Speaker B:But as you do fundraising, you can use that money to pay for the filing fee.
Speaker B:So I could start fundraising a year ahead.
Speaker B:Filing in South Carolina begins usually late March and it runs.
Speaker B:It's a two week period that they open it up where you can file to run for office.
Speaker B:But prior to then you can start fundraising all you want.
Speaker B:You have to announce it.
Speaker B:You have to set up with the South Carolina Elections Commission and the Ethics Commission and announce there that you're running.
Speaker B:And here I'm collecting funds because there's laws that govern what you can do with the money and how much people can donate to you.
Speaker B:Okay, so you have to track all of that.
Speaker B:But you could start fundraising at any time and use that money to pay for the filing fee if you wish.
Speaker C:That two week period in March is that for all kinds of offices?
Speaker C:So even down to like mayor of.
Speaker B:Podunkville, 99% of the time that is the case.
Speaker B:So whether you're running for governor of South Carolina or you're running for county council or school board is a two week period in March.
Speaker B:However, there are individual towns throughout the state, like Podunkville in particular.
Speaker B:Their school board election may be in May and the filing period is in December.
Speaker B:They could set different election schedules.
Speaker C:So that's not.
Speaker B:But it's the exception.
Speaker B:It's the exception rather than the rule.
Speaker B:Most elections follow the same pattern of filing in March, primaries in June, election in November.
Speaker B:But aside from some school boards and town councils, you might find some differing schedules.
Speaker B:For the most part, that is what it is.
Speaker C:Okay, so let's continue a little bit with the campaign fund part.
Speaker C:So you said that there were special rules about how much can be contributed and how those funds can be used.
Speaker C:Can you tell us a little more about that?
Speaker B:Some of it's practical and common sense.
Speaker B:We'll talk about how much an individual citizen can contribute.
Speaker B:And I think the limit is $1,000 per campaign cycle.
Speaker C:Does that include yourself as the candidate.
Speaker B:Except for yourself as the candidate?
Speaker B:Okay, if I was a wealthy individual, there'd be no limit.
Speaker B:If I had a law firm or a car dealership, I could dump.
Speaker B:And many candidates have those that you see sitting in the, in the Senate, many of them have put some of them up to a million dollars into their own campaign.
Speaker C:And that's totally legitimate, which is really.
Speaker B:Funny because you only get paid as a House member $10,000 plus a per diem for travel.
Speaker B:Like the.
Speaker B:You're not going to the House to make money, at least not in a direct paycheck way.
Speaker B:It is considered a part time citizen led legislature.
Speaker B:They're only in session from January through, I think May.
Speaker B:Then they go on, quote, unquote break.
Speaker B:Although there is activity throughout the summer and into the winter.
Speaker B:But they're only in session a couple of months a year.
Speaker B:And for that time you get paid 10,000 bucks as a House rep, a little more if you're Senate, and then that's it.
Speaker B:So the money you're raising is really about the positions and views and the laws that you pass rather than about actually getting wealthy as a politician.
Speaker B:Politician.
Speaker B:You just can't.
Speaker C:So who pays the salary?
Speaker C:The $10,000?
Speaker B:The state.
Speaker C:The state, yes.
Speaker C:So that comes out of my income taxes or.
Speaker B:Yeah, this is why you're supposed to run around to your elected representative saying you work for me because the $50 that I gave up in my income tax pays your salary.
Speaker B:Haven't you done that to every public official?
Speaker C:So every single one, yes.
Speaker B:That includes your.
Speaker C:I'm on a watch list.
Speaker B:Your judges, your police officers, your sanitation workers, they all come out of your taxes.
Speaker B:And that, that includes the.
Speaker B:The lawmakers as well.
Speaker B:They are paid by taxpayers.
Speaker C:Okay, so.
Speaker B:But they haven't gotten a raise in years.
Speaker B:I mean, to be honest with you.
Speaker B:Let me tell you a problem with that.
Speaker B:So it sounds great.
Speaker B:Only 10 grand.
Speaker B:And that means you really have to be passionate to run.
Speaker C:Sure.
Speaker B:At the same time, I'm a working person.
Speaker B:You're a working person.
Speaker B:But this lawmaking stuff is not just full time, it's more than full time.
Speaker B:So you have to be either independently wealthy or be financed somehow.
Speaker B:Or maybe you have a business that doesn't need attending to.
Speaker B:Like maybe you have real estate.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So you can make money off of that.
Speaker B:Or a law firm where your partners pick up the slack.
Speaker B:It really does narrow the pool of who can legitimately run.
Speaker B:And I ran into that like from day one.
Speaker B:I've got a full time job, I have wife and kids and I've got family obligations to run for office.
Speaker B:The things that I wanted to do in my head, the things that I've identified, where I want to be, I want to knock on a million doors, I want to talk to everybody out there.
Speaker B:You physically can't because you have to earn a living as well.
Speaker B:So it does somewhat narrow the pool of who can legitimately run.
Speaker C:So, and that was actually one of the questions that came up was talking about, theoretically, it's a part time gig, right?
Speaker C:So as you said, it's only in session for a couple of months of the year.
Speaker C:But most jobs, so most people who are just working people, how does that work?
Speaker C:So for the people who are elected, who are not your lawyers or independently wealthy or real estate, for people who are into data entry, well, I just brought your job down a little there, but how reasonably does that work?
Speaker C:Like, do you have to have a job that's like, yeah, you're fine taking off?
Speaker C:What is the actual time commitment when everything is in session?
Speaker B:The time commitment, boy, that's hard because there are some districts where no matter how much time you give it, it'll never feel like it's enough.
Speaker B:Even if I had quit my job and made this full time, I might have moved the needle somewhat, but I couldn't even fathom it.
Speaker B:I couldn't fathom what it would be like.
Speaker B:This is not something you can do with just a couple hours a week on the side, unless you're in a district that is so leaning one way or the other that all you need to do is put your name on the ballot.
Speaker B:And there are many districts like that.
Speaker B:There are districts where the most unqualified person possible, who knows nothing about anything, just put their name on the ballot.
Speaker B:Didn't campaign, didn't spend $1,000, but because they're aligned with an R or a D next to their name, they win.
Speaker B:Okay, so if you're in one of those districts and you happen to be the only candidate running that's, you know, along those lines, you don't have to spend a dollar, you don't have to put an hour into your campaign.
Speaker B:For me, though, I am in a very heavily gerrymandered district, which just means that they got to draw their own lines.
Speaker B:And the, the nature of the population is that it was 75% Republican, let's say, and I ran as a Democrat, okay, I knew that Going in, I knew that I would have a very hard scenario of trying to convince half of that population to switch over.
Speaker B:That was going to be a difficult.
Speaker B:But for me, it wasn't so much about necessarily the outcome because I knew it was a long shot no matter what.
Speaker B:But being running for office gives you a platform that you otherwise wouldn't have.
Speaker B:I could just be Bill who's busy tweeting away or Instagramming away or tiktoking away with my message.
Speaker B:But it doesn't get me as far as if I was candidate Kimler running for state house.
Speaker B:Vote for me, and here's why.
Speaker B:And now I have tens of thousands of dollars in fundraising campaigns that I can do paid advertising and get those messages out and try to show people that there may be a different way of seeing things or kind of bring to truth, maybe the record of my opponent that otherwise wouldn't come out.
Speaker B:There was a lot of fun surrounding that.
Speaker C:So one of the questions was actually around, how do you decide what those focus points are, what your campaign platform is, how you know, some people, I think it's probably a very personal thing, something has happened to them in their life and they're like, no, I need to change this.
Speaker C:And therefore I'm going to run for Barrett, I think had someone on his podcast, oh, I cannot.
Speaker C:What was that guy's name?
Speaker C:Barrett David Robinson.
Speaker C:And it sounded like ultimately he started to run specifically because of his frustration around the process of handling missing people.
Speaker C:But I think generally speaking, it's not necessarily so specific.
Speaker C:So how do you decide on a platform that resonates and is potentially electable?
Speaker B:There's two ways, two lists you need to make.
Speaker B:So you take a list of what are you passionate about, what are you knowledgeable about?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:So you start with that.
Speaker B:Then you have to write another list that says, in this area, what are people interested in?
Speaker B:Because I have a million passions, there's a million things I could run on.
Speaker B:And the first time I campaigned on, I was campaigning on something different every day.
Speaker B:Every day it was these people's rights or that economy or this deal or something else.
Speaker B:I was all over the place.
Speaker B:Second time around, I went through that list making process and then did the little Venn diagram and says, okay, out of my list and the list of what people would or what would resonate with the population at large.
Speaker B:What's the intersection?
Speaker B:I found two things that were at the top of that list.
Speaker B:So my campaign became focused on two.
Speaker B:One was I campaigned on medical debt, the state of South Carolina is second worst in the nation in terms of medical debt that's gone to collections.
Speaker B:Like not only do you have debt, it's so bad that's gone to the collection agency.
Speaker B:Why is South Carolina such an outlier when it comes to the rest of the nation?
Speaker B:And I have a whole platform with responses and policies that would help address that.
Speaker B:The second thing for me, and this goes back to my technology background, was the issue of cybersecurity and data protection, which this state again also ranks among the worst in the nation for in terms of preparedness or even attention given to cyber attacks.
Speaker B:There are people in the legislature now I think are still carrying around flip phones that just are blackberries.
Speaker B:God help them.
Speaker C:They've got a palm.
Speaker B:Yeah, hey, I grew up on the palm trail, but I've upgraded over the years.
Speaker B:I've stayed current.
Speaker B:The current General assembly is not only ignoring the issue, they are incapable of, of having a conversation.
Speaker B:They're all over on the other side with the shiny object known as AI.
Speaker B:And again, very little knowledge on that subject to be found within the body.
Speaker B:But it's cyber attacks on our school system.
Speaker B:We've already had major data breaches on our infrastructure, water systems and medical facilities.
Speaker B:Those were the two issues that I could easily resonate, I thought, with the general population.
Speaker B:Even as I went door knocking and sort of talking with the people it was hitting, right?
Speaker B:And I was getting feedback from them, which helped me refine my message.
Speaker B:That's another thing, is that you can't run for office if you're a shy individual.
Speaker B:So me, I'm sorry, we're gonna have to rule you out.
Speaker C:Here's my political career.
Speaker C:It's over.
Speaker B:You really have to be somebody who is comfortable in front of others, in front of a crowd.
Speaker B:You have to be comfortable speaking.
Speaker B:You can't just say I have passion about a subject.
Speaker B:But if you don't have the basic tools, and I'd say charisma to be a politician to help convince others, then maybe that's not for you.
Speaker C:So that's one of the questions that actually came up is in the modern world where everything is very digital, how important is it for those people to people interaction?
Speaker C:So, like, I'm not going to lie, someone comes to my door and knock, knock, knock, and hey, I'd like to speak to you about a candidate.
Speaker C:I'm pretending like I'm not home.
Speaker C:And your millennials, your Gen Zs, your lower demographics, that generalized anxiety about answering the door and answering the phone and those things, how does that play into being a candidate now.
Speaker B:Well, one thing I've learned is that you're supposed to knock on the back doors.
Speaker B:Now if you want to get in or start knocking on windows, don't.
Speaker C:Don't knock on back doors.
Speaker B:Because you're right, people don't open doors anymore.
Speaker B:So you have to find other ways down the chimney, things like that.
Speaker C:Oh, he's Santa.
Speaker B:Hey, if I've got a of gifts, it works out great.
Speaker B:No, I think it's an all of the above.
Speaker B:So there is no one magical thing that's going to get it to you.
Speaker B:You do have people who are online.
Speaker B:I think my first campaign relied a little too much on the social media.
Speaker B:I figured I've got the strongest social media presence out there.
Speaker B:I've got great messaging.
Speaker B:But then I am absolutely astounded at the large percent of the voting population who isn't online.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:Like, I can't fathom it personally, but yeah, many people don't have Facebook accounts.
Speaker B:To my shock, many people are out on TikTok.
Speaker B:So I really had to start making more appearances.
Speaker B:You also can't hide behind mailers, which don't.
Speaker B:Mailers never resonated with me.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker C:But I'm not sure they do with anybody.
Speaker C:No bird owners, so they can line cages.
Speaker B:You know, I think maybe one or two just for the name recognition part.
Speaker B:And your mailer has to be.
Speaker B:Has to stand out.
Speaker B:It can't be your standard mailer.
Speaker B:It's got to be something different.
Speaker B:But you know, there was during this last election, I was getting hit with four or five mailers a day from the same candidate.
Speaker B:Like, I re.
Speaker B:Wallpapered my house with Ron DeSantis merchandise that came in the mail.
Speaker B:I mean, it was just so much.
Speaker C:That was one of my door knockers.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Well, I didn't realize he was in town.
Speaker C:Well, not him.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:But so I do think that there is.
Speaker B:You have to do it all.
Speaker B:You have to do the door knocking, you have to do the media appearances, get on radio shows, do podcasts.
Speaker B:You have to be on digital media.
Speaker B:You have to pay for your advertising.
Speaker B:You do have to do mailing.
Speaker B:You have to also just appear randomly in public.
Speaker B:You have to go to public events, set up booths, be seen by people who walk by.
Speaker C:So all of the festivals at the Podunk Holler and all of that, you.
Speaker B:Have to do everything.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:So that's back to that whole time commitment thing.
Speaker B:So, yeah, you do need.
Speaker B:It depends on how serious you are.
Speaker B:So if you are in a competitive situation or if you have low name recognition, then it's going to be an effort on your part to be known.
Speaker B:And so you need to put in as much time into that.
Speaker B:Which means every weekend you have to be somewhere doing something.
Speaker B:If you're working during the day, then in the evenings you have to go be places.
Speaker B:I was fortunate that I have a work from a home.
Speaker B:I have a remote job and a little more flexible in the hours.
Speaker B:So I was able to sneak away for maybe for a larger lunch or cut early one day if I make it up the next.
Speaker B:I was more flexible with those hours.
Speaker B:But you do need to have that time commitment.
Speaker B:I've seen many first time politicians.
Speaker B:I know a guy who ran for Congress.
Speaker B:First time ever, right?
Speaker B:First time running for anything.
Speaker B:I'm gonna go Congress.
Speaker B:And then he was blown away by the amount of geography he has to cover.
Speaker B:I was like, yeah, you can't go into that not knowing the amount of driving you have to do at the end of the day and the time that that's going to require.
Speaker C:And so this wasn't a question that anyone asked.
Speaker C:But now that you say that, I'm curious.
Speaker B:Well, if nobody asked it, I'm not answering it.
Speaker C:Well, I'm asking it and that's what counts.
Speaker C:So the work, life balance, the like, I wouldn't even call it work, but like, so you're married with children.
Speaker C:I think your children are older though.
Speaker B:They are.
Speaker C:But so I feel like a representative would generally, if they're going to be representative of the general population, may be someone who's married with a family.
Speaker B:Like to me, that shouldn't enter into it.
Speaker B:And there are many who are representing now who are not married, married without children.
Speaker C:But how does they would be at an advantage, I would think, at being able to campaign and all of that.
Speaker C:So like you have to choose between.
Speaker B:Well, there's no doubt, I mean, heck, even having dogs, you have life responsibilities that I can't go away on a campaign trip for a weekend and not worry about or have to deal with things at home.
Speaker B:So when you do decide to run, it is a conversation with your family, whether it is your spouse or partner, children, whomever, and say, listen, I'm going to do this.
Speaker B:First of all, you're putting yourself into the public light.
Speaker C:Sure.
Speaker B:And you have to find out whether your family is interested in being part of that public life or if they want to stay on the background.
Speaker B:Now my wife wants nothing to do with politics whatsoever.
Speaker B:In fact, the one time I tried to broach the subject with her we almost got divorced.
Speaker B:She's not interested.
Speaker B:She has her opinions but shouldn't let them be known.
Speaker B:We don't even talk about it at home.
Speaker B:And she was not interested in being at any campaign event or any fundraisers.
Speaker B:Nothing.
Speaker B:Now there are others who have their whole family standing behind them and that's wonderful.
Speaker B:Whatever it is, it should fit with you, but you should do it in a conversation with them because it will take time away from family activities.
Speaker B:I'm on vacation at Myrtle beach, but I am online sending text messages or doing a virtual fundraiser.
Speaker B:You know, I'm always in that campaign mindset.
Speaker B:Even still now.
Speaker B:No, no, I'm not running for anything now.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker B:No, not unless you want to contribute to my campaign fund.
Speaker B:I'll take money from you, so.
Speaker B:But aside from that, no, actually, what.
Speaker C:Happens to, I assume if you have money in your campaign fund and then you don't get elected and then you don't run again, what happens to that money?
Speaker C:Does it go back to your party or.
Speaker B:No, it doesn't go back to the party because it's your campaign money.
Speaker B:Now if you do have leftover, and that alone is a balancing act because let's say you're successful and you win, you want to have a healthy war chest left over.
Speaker B:The House of Representatives are only two year terms.
Speaker B:So by the time you sit down and got your seat, know where the bathrooms are at the State House, guess what you have to do.
Speaker B:You gotta start running again.
Speaker C:Sure.
Speaker B:All right, so.
Speaker B:And to have those campaign funds, you want to have a balance left over.
Speaker B:Now if you are giving it your role, I fired everything I had.
Speaker B:Like I came close to a zero dollar bank account at the end.
Speaker B:If you've decided that you are not going to run for office, like if you, if you're thinking I'm going to run again, then you can keep that balance and you just have to report it every quarter to the state ethics commission.
Speaker B:There's an online form you fill out, very simple to do so you can maintain your balance.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:And you can even continue to fundraise if you want.
Speaker B:If you think you're going to run again.
Speaker B:But if you don't file to run and you are not a candidate, then you have to disperse those funds.
Speaker B:And usually it's to a charity of your choice.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:So you have.
Speaker B:And then you have to report it that you've given it away to a nonprofit.
Speaker C:So it's just a 501C3 or something and you're good to go.
Speaker B:So can't go into your 401k.
Speaker B:But 501c3.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker C:Know which numbers and letters so you don't end up in jail.
Speaker B:Very easy to get mixed up.
Speaker C:So the campaign fund.
Speaker C:And I know we've asked a lot of questions about this, but is it a separate bank account or are there fees or are there special?
Speaker C:Because, you know, 529 is a special.
Speaker B:No, no, it's not a special bank account.
Speaker B:I just went to my bank, okay, and told them, hey, I'm going to run for office now.
Speaker B:I have a checking account.
Speaker B:I've got several savings accounts, you know, one for each kid, all at the same bank.
Speaker B:I said, can you hook me up with a political account?
Speaker B:They typed it in and next thing I know, I have another account with its own checkbook that is, that is now within my control.
Speaker B:And I write checks and deposit checks to that account.
Speaker B:And it's separate from my personal funds, okay?
Speaker B:And that's what I use to maintain it.
Speaker B:But there's nothing special about it, okay?
Speaker B:You don't have to do anything fancy.
Speaker B:You can just go have to be.
Speaker C:A separate account or like if someone.
Speaker B:Well, you certainly can't put it into your private checking account and blend it with your, you know, whatever you get from work.
Speaker C:But like if you knew that 500 of it was for your campaign, like, I mean, you just kept a good.
Speaker B:Keep it separate.
Speaker B:Keep it completely separate.
Speaker B:Do not mingle your personal.
Speaker C:Not even confuse it.
Speaker B:Well, I don't know why you're pressing so hard with this line of questioning.
Speaker B:You've got me nervous here that people are going to be knocking on our door to speak with you.
Speaker B:But no, keep those funds completely separate.
Speaker B:Do not commingle.
Speaker B:There's some really weird rules.
Speaker B:One that I had learned early on was about cash contributions.
Speaker B:You cannot receive a cash contribution over $25.
Speaker B:Oh, the limit is low.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker B:I can receive a check for $1,000, but I cannot receive a hundred dollar bill.
Speaker B:Absolutely forbidden.
Speaker C:Launder money through your campaign.
Speaker B:Why are we on this show?
Speaker B:What are you doing to me here?
Speaker C:Okay, guys, just to be clear, none of that's going on.
Speaker C:I'm not sure.
Speaker C:Apparently I've been watching way too much tv.
Speaker B:Next week I'll be talking about what it's like to be processed in jail.
Speaker C:I'll have them back next episode.
Speaker B:Yes, the anal probes are real.
Speaker C:Oh, no.
Speaker C:Edit.
Speaker C:Okay, so a fun question maybe is how do you come up with a slogan?
Speaker B:That's a good one.
Speaker C:Because I think yours, if I'm right Is priorities that matter.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:And the first campaign was with three lines.
Speaker B:It was facts matters, honesty matters, truth matters.
Speaker B:Like that.
Speaker B:That was my campaign because I had just felt there was such dishonesty and disingenuity that that was going to resonate.
Speaker B:Apparently neither facts nor truth nor honesty actually played a role in converting the people I was looking to convert.
Speaker B:So the second time around, what actually workshopped it and with the little campaign team, we all were kicking around some ideas and when it got to the root of what I thought was wrong with our state house, that would resonate across party lines.
Speaker B:I said, you are only in office for a couple of months.
Speaker B: There were over: Speaker B:So prioritization is critical.
Speaker B: Of these: Speaker C:Sure.
Speaker B:And I felt like things were so upside down that they were going after issues that impacted neither you nor me, like DEI and CRT and all these social issues.
Speaker B:Meanwhile, South Carolina was second in the nation for medical debt.
Speaker B:Meanwhile, our critical infrastructure is very insecure from cyber attacks from foreign adversaries.
Speaker B:This is where I was trying to pass that message that priorities that matter.
Speaker B:Like even me as a left leaning liberal, my priorities are those things that are going to impact the most.
Speaker B:South Carolinians.
Speaker B:And that's what I tried to use as my breakthrough message second time around.
Speaker B:But it was workshopped.
Speaker B:It was not the first choice.
Speaker C:What are some of the ones that didn't make it?
Speaker B:Oh my gosh, you know, the other guy's a jerk.
Speaker B:That didn't float so well.
Speaker B:You know, a chicken in every pot.
Speaker B:They felt that was a little hack need.
Speaker B:But although I will tell you, if I had said a dozen eggs for every door, I probably would have won.
Speaker B:Oh, you know, that would have resonated in today's world.
Speaker C:Absolutely it would.
Speaker C:If you were to run again, would you use the same like, is that a winner for you, the priorities that matter, or would you workshop again?
Speaker C:Based on the current climate, if I.
Speaker B:Was to run again, I would probably rebrand in the most unconventional way possible.
Speaker B:So the first time I ran, I ran as the nice, gentle candidate with a, I thought a strong message, but I wasn't going to be over the top or I was also new and I was like kind of testing the waters.
Speaker B:Second time I ran a lot more confident in my messaging.
Speaker B:And so I was just a bull through the china shop, knocking things over directly confronting my opponent's record and his stances.
Speaker B:I even Got to a point where his wife commented on one of my Facebook posts.
Speaker B:Oh, I was like, when you've got the spouse of your opponent opponent making some comments and she was completely wrong in her comment anyway, then you know, you're striking a nerve.
Speaker B:And I like that.
Speaker B:This third time around, I would say, all right, both of those ways didn't go.
Speaker B:Whatever it is, I'm going to be so disruptive with this campaign and do things that have never been seen before.
Speaker B:I don't even know what the slogan would be.
Speaker B:It might even have foul language in it, who knows?
Speaker B:But it would be very unconventional if I was to do this a third time.
Speaker C:So we'll look for a behind the scenes of the most obscene bill messages that he may use in the future.
Speaker B:Again, thanks to you, I may be campaigning from jail.
Speaker B:So we'll see how that goes.
Speaker C:All right, let's talk a little bit about.
Speaker C:And this is so wild, but it came up a lot, the road signs, like the signs that go in people's yards and out in front of the businesses.
Speaker C:Who has to pick those up after a campaign is done?
Speaker B:Usually the campaign team and their volunteers ought to be doing so.
Speaker B:So I kept track of where my signs were.
Speaker B:People lived in the area would grab them, collect them, bring them back to me.
Speaker C:And what do you do with them?
Speaker B:That's a great question.
Speaker B:If you're going to run again, you save them.
Speaker B:Because if they're in good shape, why not throw them back out?
Speaker C:You just make them generic.
Speaker C:You wouldn't say, like Bill 20, 25, that's a mistake.
Speaker C:Bill forever.
Speaker B:That's a mistake that a lot of first time politicians make is that they print on their literature, they print on their yard signs the year or even the election day.
Speaker B:So people don't need you to remind them on printed literature on yard signs what election day is.
Speaker B:They know when election day is.
Speaker B:However, if you've printed vote November 6th for me, well, you're going to be waiting a dozen years or so before election day is on November 6th again.
Speaker B:And you have to throw all of that out.
Speaker B:I had a friend who ran and had a primary and she had written vote June 12 or whatever the primary date was on all of her signs.
Speaker B:And then for the regular election, she couldn't use a single one of them.
Speaker B:She actually went through and cut the date out of the signs with a razor blade and try to jury rig it so that it could be bleeding.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, it was.
Speaker B:It was bad.
Speaker B:But these are things you will learn, if not from somebody who's more experienced?
Speaker B:You're going to experience it yourself.
Speaker B:But what do you do with the yard?
Speaker B:Let's say you're not running again or what do you have to do with them?
Speaker B:And you can recycle them.
Speaker B:Most of them are made from cardboard material that you can recycle.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:And away they go.
Speaker B:But the metal sign, I'll tell you what, this is a inside tip.
Speaker B:The metal posts are the most expensive part of the sign.
Speaker A:Oh.
Speaker B:So the, the cardboard sign itself is relatively cheap.
Speaker B:If you buy in bulk, maybe three, three bucks a sign to something.
Speaker B:But it's the metal post that could be four or five dollars based on the price of metal.
Speaker C:So each of those signs out there could be like 8 bucks, 10 bucks.
Speaker B:It's 6, 6 or 7 or a little bit less.
Speaker B:But you're right.
Speaker B:Bad at math, whatever.
Speaker B:But you're right.
Speaker B:Yeah, it depends on how much you buy.
Speaker B:But there's, there's money put into the signs for sure.
Speaker B:And the more signs you see is kind of an indication of where their bank accounts were.
Speaker B:But save those metal poles because they could be reused or even resold to another candidate.
Speaker B:You know, you can give it to them, you know, for half price anyway.
Speaker C:Is there, is there some sort of.
Speaker C:Or is it just word of mouth?
Speaker C:Hey, I've got extra poles laying around.
Speaker C:Do you need them?
Speaker B:To be honest, I've actually not seen that offered.
Speaker B:I will be offering at the next election because I have quite a large stash of still good, decent shape yard sign stakes to use.
Speaker C:So if you get the money from selling that, then what I'll do is give it to charity still, because then that's money that you use from your campaign to buy them originally.
Speaker C:So now you.
Speaker C:I'm really trying to get you put in jail.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:Now I'm just thinking I may have to use it for bail money.
Speaker B:To be quite honest with you.
Speaker B:Bail is where it's going to go.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:But what I would most likely do is donate it to another campaign.
Speaker B:I would find some newer candidates running locally, make them that offer, maybe even make it as a campaign contribution.
Speaker B:Here I've got a box of 50 stakes you could use and that's going to be worth a couple hundred bucks easily.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:That's something you wouldn't think about.
Speaker C:Let me look at my little list here.
Speaker C:Let's see.
Speaker C:We talked about how you got started.
Speaker C:Oh, what do you do if other people want to run for the same position?
Speaker C:So like in your same party?
Speaker B:And that can happen.
Speaker B:And I say if that happens, welcome it.
Speaker B:I don't think that if you, if you are aligned for the most part in your positions, which if you're running in the same party, I would have to think you would be, you would be doing a great disservice if you engaged in a tear down campaign.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:You know, one party in particular, you have, you know, leaning in one position and then you have far leaning right and those two go at each other like they were the worst of enemies.
Speaker B:But then again in their districts, whoever ends up winning that primary in the summer typically goes on to win the general election anyway.
Speaker B:So they, they throw it all out so it can get very nasty.
Speaker B:But as far as I've seen on the Democratic side anyway, all the primaries have been very friendly and they just go up there and they give their pitch why they think they're the better candidate.
Speaker B:They may all be aligned in the same position, so that's fine.
Speaker B:But who's got the better experience, who's got the better personalities, who can project themselves, has a greater image, has the wider connections.
Speaker B:That's what you do in the primaries.
Speaker B:If everything's on the up and up.
Speaker C:Do you have to be backed by your party?
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:That's another weird thing is that next time I run, I could run on the Republican ticket and they could.
Speaker C:We know, we know he's not a Republican.
Speaker B:I can file, pay my money to the South Carolina Republican Party and then be in a primary against the guy I ran against and run as a Republican.
Speaker B:But it would, my, my campaign speeches would be quite odd.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:To those that wouldn't make any sense.
Speaker B:But, but I've had that because in addition to running for office, I've also been the chair of the Greenwood County Democratic Party for the past five years and I just ended my term last month.
Speaker B:We have actually had to field people that we knew were solid Republicans.
Speaker B:Now in South Carolina you don't register by party, so you as a voter, you just vote for whomever you want.
Speaker C:Sure.
Speaker B:But we had some known Republicans file to run, let's say for sheriff because they know the Republican sheriff who's the incumbent is extremely popular.
Speaker B:They didn't want to primary that guy in the summer.
Speaker B:So I'll file and run as a Democrat.
Speaker B:That way I don't have to see him until November.
Speaker C:Okay.
Speaker B:Now we can't reject him.
Speaker B:There is no party ideology that you can use as, as a refusal.
Speaker B:But we didn't have to support him, so we did not have to invite him to our meetings.
Speaker B:We didn't have to campaign for him or put any awareness on our social media sites.
Speaker B:And we told that to him up front.
Speaker B:Says we can't stop you from filing and appearing under the D.
Speaker B:You write the check.
Speaker B:You can do that.
Speaker C:Right?
Speaker B:But we don't have to be there with you.
Speaker C:That's insane.
Speaker C:I had no idea.
Speaker C:Let's see.
Speaker C:Da da da da da.
Speaker C:I believe those are actually.
Speaker C:I don't know.
Speaker B:I'll throw some things out your way because one thing you should ask is, what's the most embarrassing thing that's happened to you on the campaign?
Speaker C:What is the most.
Speaker C:This sounds like a story.
Speaker C:Come on.
Speaker B:And I shared this on my show a couple months back, so I'll be happy to share it here.
Speaker C:Sure enough.
Speaker B:Because at the end of the day, a politician is a human being.
Speaker B:I think when you look at somebody who's running for office, you put them almost into a superhero category.
Speaker B:Like maybe they're larger than life.
Speaker B:And I'm nervous.
Speaker B:Oh, well, there's the guy who's the current representative.
Speaker B:I'm going to be nervous being in the same room as him.
Speaker B:No, they're just normal human beings with all the same human foibles we all have.
Speaker B:So there was this one time where I was at an event at city hall.
Speaker B:It was an event being put on by the mayor of Greenwood.
Speaker B:He had a youth council that.
Speaker B:Trying to get high schoolers involved in learning about local government.
Speaker C:Excellent.
Speaker B:He thought it would be a great event to have all the local candidates come and speak to the youth council.
Speaker B:So great.
Speaker B:We're all waiting out in the hall for the doors to open for the youth council while they were conducting other business.
Speaker B:And I'm sitting there talking to this person.
Speaker B:I'm talking to that person, introducing myself.
Speaker B:And it was all candidates from school board to city council to state house.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:They were all invited.
Speaker B:And then this lady, I didn't know her, she.
Speaker B:She comes up to me and she.
Speaker B:She kind of points downward, you know, and says, you know, and I looked and I was like, oh, I showed up to this event with my fly down.
Speaker C:Oh, no.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:I knew exactly what happened because I just changed clothes and, you know, when you're doing things, you're.
Speaker B:You're doing ten things at once.
Speaker B:So I failed on that very critical last step of let's zip the fly up and then head out the house.
Speaker B:Oh, no, it happens.
Speaker B:I mean, every guy in the world has a story.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker B:It happens.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:Happens to women, too.
Speaker B:Sometimes they walk out of the house.
Speaker B:Didn't Zip up their jeans.
Speaker B:Anyhow, she.
Speaker B:She caught it and she just very discreetly says, you want to take care?
Speaker B:I was like, oh, thank you so much.
Speaker B:Took care of business.
Speaker B:And I said, you're on my Christmas card list.
Speaker B:I still didn't know who she was, but I was very grateful.
Speaker B:Anyhow, we get inside and we're all settled in.
Speaker B:The mayor gives his introductory speech, and then the first speaker gets up, and it was that lady.
Speaker B:And she introduces herself as the vice chair of the Greenwood Republican Party and the sister of the guy I was running against.
Speaker B:And I'm just sitting there going, this is the most Seinfeld of Seinfeld episodes, and I am George Costanza here in the worst possible situation where the sister of my opponent, who I just go up and down attacking all day long, is the one to point out to me my fly was down and I had to go rectify it.
Speaker B:And all I could do was just laugh my head off internally at how ludicrous that whole situation was.
Speaker C:Oh, my God.
Speaker C:That's great, though.
Speaker B:But yeah, that, that kind of real world stuff can happen, especially if you're putting yourself out there all the time.
Speaker B:You're going to say things that are going to sound goofy.
Speaker B:You're going to trip in front of other people, right?
Speaker B:It'll.
Speaker B:You'll fall.
Speaker B:I mean, you can't be out constantly and not have a human frailty pop up.
Speaker B:It's going to happen.
Speaker B:So you just have to have a good sense of humor about yourself.
Speaker B:You have to have a healthy opinion of the politics that while you're talking about very serious things.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:You know, I was friends with a first time politician who was running because her transgender teen was under attack by the state of South Carolina.
Speaker B:And so she was running to protect her kids.
Speaker B:So this is Mama bear that's out there running.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:But you're going to get criticized.
Speaker B:You're going to be attacked as well, most of the time unfairly.
Speaker B:But you cannot take it personally unless they come after your family members, then go all personal.
Speaker B:But when it's about you, you have to realize that most people are going to forget everything they heard about you the minute after the election's over and you go back to being Bill, you go back to being on me, you go back.
Speaker B:Back to being whoever you are.
Speaker B:And none of that, that all should just roll off of you and just be able to laugh, even at the attack part.
Speaker B:Because I remember my opponent when I first ran, sent out a mailer that went to good 20,000 households in the district.
Speaker B:It was a four page attack ad about me where he.
Speaker C:There were four pages of things to attack.
Speaker B:Yeah, he basically told everybody what my positions were.
Speaker C:Fly down position number one.
Speaker B:Exactly right.
Speaker B:I'm pro.
Speaker B:Fly down, attacked again.
Speaker B:This is going without ever talking to me or even having mentioned what my, my point of views were.
Speaker B:He just made assumptions and then ran with it.
Speaker B:Basically.
Speaker B:You know, I came here with New York values, so already othering me as somebody who wasn't born here.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:You know, and you know where those attacks go.
Speaker B:And I was stunned.
Speaker B:I was like, you can do that.
Speaker B:And yeah, yeah.
Speaker C:So it's not nice.
Speaker B:But once you realize that it can work both ways.
Speaker B:I had my own fun with attack ads in the opposite direction to the point where they annoyed him so much he had to go on Facebook live and countermand the.
Speaker B:And again, I don't like to make just wild accusations.
Speaker B:I back everything up with either quotes that he has said, you come with receipts or I come with the receipts, which I think are more damaging.
Speaker B:But at the end of the day, there's only so much you can do as a candidate to get people to cross over party lines.
Speaker B:It is one of the hardest things in the world to do to be a candidate in one party when the other party's in the majority.
Speaker B:But I still believe that that fight is worth it.
Speaker B:I believe that even if this election doesn't go your way, you're not fighting just for this election.
Speaker B:You're setting the groundwork and the messaging for the next 10 years.
Speaker B:Whether you're running for 10 years or somebody behind you is going to run, you have to keep chipping away at it as if there is hope.
Speaker B:I mean, imagine if the civil rights activists of the 60s gave up in their first year or their first two years.
Speaker B:It was a decades long process for them.
Speaker B:And that's what I see this as.
Speaker B:So every campaign, every seat, I believe every seat should be challenged.
Speaker B:That's what got me to run in the first place.
Speaker B: e trigger point for me was in: Speaker B:I had tried to recruit some people to run against this incumbent who was just the worst of the worst in my opinion.
Speaker B:Nobody would step up to run.
Speaker B:And it came to be noon on the last day of filing.
Speaker B: s, listen, if nobody files by: Speaker B:And she says, oh, okay, I don't care.
Speaker C:She was asleep, wasn't she?
Speaker B:She was.
Speaker B:She was drugged too.
Speaker B:Yeah, all the things.
Speaker B:But she gave the Green light.
Speaker B:And so I had just put my name down so that there would be a name, so that there would be a choice in the ballot.
Speaker B:I actually had no intention of running a serious campaign.
Speaker B:I figure a name is better than no name, right?
Speaker B:It's at least a step up.
Speaker B:Well, then I kind of got hooked into it.
Speaker B:You know, I gave a campaign speech, then I gave another.
Speaker B:Then I.
Speaker B:Then somebody started handing me money.
Speaker B:I was like, somebody gave me a $25 check, and I felt like I was indebted to them for life.
Speaker B:And then I was getting thousand dollar checks.
Speaker C:Do you remember your first campaign donation?
Speaker C:Like the first person to donate to your campaign, it was myself, besides you.
Speaker B:So I congratulated myself, thanked myself.
Speaker C:Job well done.
Speaker B:Very, very good job.
Speaker B:But no, I can't say I remember the very first dollar that I got.
Speaker B:But I can remember the.
Speaker B:Oh, never mind.
Speaker B:I do remember my first campaign donation.
Speaker B:It was for $500.
Speaker B:The guy was so excited to hear that I had announced I hadn't even launched a campaign.
Speaker B:I had just filed to run.
Speaker B:But he saw it in the paper.
Speaker B:He drove over to my house with a $500 check.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker B:And that, I tell you, that instilled such confidence in you.
Speaker B:It's like maybe I'm onto something here.
Speaker B:People are willing to give up their money to support your cause, then you go out there and fight for them.
Speaker B:And I remember after having lost that election a month later, I was walking through the grocery store wearing my civilians.
Speaker B:I'm wearing flannel shirt, jeans.
Speaker B:I'm at the Pam aisle, I'm looking at the Pam spray, and this lady comes up to me.
Speaker B: Now, this was: Speaker B:Quite a.
Speaker B:A short lady wearing a mask.
Speaker B:I couldn't see her face.
Speaker B:And she comes up to me, says, you're Bill, right?
Speaker B:And I'm looking like a slob.
Speaker B:I am not the put together person you see in front of you.
Speaker B:I was a slob at the grocery store.
Speaker B:And I said, yeah, I am.
Speaker B:She says, I just wanted to thank you for running.
Speaker B:And she was almost in tears because she was talking about how her child was a non binary child member of the lgbtq.
Speaker B:Felt like that they were attacked by not only the politicians in the area, but even family members who didn't accept them.
Speaker B:Aunts and uncles who wouldn't have them over for holidays.
Speaker B:And she appreciated that I was so forceful in my views and so outspoken and that I was not afraid to speak on behalf of everyone's rights.
Speaker B:Just to be who they want to be, as long as it doesn't impact you.
Speaker B:Let them alone.
Speaker B:But she went on and on, and I had no idea who this lady was.
Speaker B:Like, I'd never met her before.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:But she was just so grateful that I had made that effort.
Speaker B:That's what got me to thinking about running a second time, because it wasn't necessarily winning that people were coming up to me for.
Speaker B:It was that I had a voice for those who felt voiceless, like, this woman was never going to get in front of a microphone.
Speaker B:This woman was very nervous being public, but she was just so glad there was somebody else out there.
Speaker B:And her child had followed me on Instagram and was just raving.
Speaker B:So you may be making a difference out there and not even know it.
Speaker B:And to me, that's the whole reason why you should run for office.
Speaker C:That's terrific.
Speaker C:I am so glad you shared that story.
Speaker B:Yeah, well, I'm glad you teased it out.
Speaker B:I'll tell you another thing that's a lot of fun is the first time you see your face on a billboard.
Speaker C:No.
Speaker B:That is such a rush.
Speaker C:Is it the picture from your website?
Speaker B:Yeah, most likely it is.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker C:Was that like a professional picture or.
Speaker C:Because there's no background on it, you can see you've been edited out, like.
Speaker B:Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:I mean.
Speaker C:Or was it just like you had a barbecue?
Speaker B:No, no, no, no.
Speaker B:I, I, I paid a local photographer a couple bucks.
Speaker B:She took some, some shots and made some headshots that I used going on four years straight.
Speaker B:I figured that's a.
Speaker C:He looks like he's about 18 in it, so.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:But then when that billboard went up in my first campaign, the billboard really wasn't as expensive as I thought it would be.
Speaker C:But how much is the billboard?
Speaker B:It was like 700 some bucks the month.
Speaker B:Now, prices have gone up since then, but back there was like 700 something.
Speaker B:And I positioned, I put the billboard a block away from my opponent's law office.
Speaker B:So every time that he drove into work, he could see my face.
Speaker B:And it bugged him so much that the second campaign, he secured that billboard two months in advance to make sure I couldn't have it.
Speaker B:And his face was on was just so blatantly obvious I'd gotten under his skin.
Speaker B:That was worth it.
Speaker B:But I took a selfie of myself in front of that billboard, and I just love that picture.
Speaker B:I was like, I'm on a billboard.
Speaker C:Like, you'll show me later.
Speaker B:Oh, my gosh.
Speaker B:Too much fun.
Speaker C:But I don't know that I'd want to look at a giant version of my face.
Speaker C:I feel like I'd be like, I don't.
Speaker C:I don't think I'd want to.
Speaker C:I don't think I'd want to see it on tv.
Speaker C:I don't think I'd want to.
Speaker C:I don't think I'd want to see it anywhere.
Speaker B:Then maybe running for office is not for you.
Speaker C:There are a lot of reasons why running for office is not for me.
Speaker C:Consult your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.
Speaker C:All right, well, that is all I've got.
Speaker C:Anything else you want to share at this point?
Speaker C:I will allow you to plug your podcast and all of that.
Speaker B:I will.
Speaker B:So I want to plug Black, White and Blue in the South.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker B:We are in our third year.
Speaker B:It is a political comedy information show.
Speaker B:I Do it with Dr.
Speaker B:Jamil Brooks.
Speaker B:She was also a candidate for state House running in the district right next to mine.
Speaker B: unning for office starting in: Speaker B:And it just grew and our rapport grew and I can't imagine doing a show without her.
Speaker B:She is the perfect foil.
Speaker B:She is hilarious in her own right.
Speaker B:And we broadcast every other week we're a bi weekly show and in fact our last episode that dropped just this past week, this would have been March 9th for those that are seeing this show in the future.
Speaker B:In the future, in the ancient past, we dropped an episode that I have to think was our best one we've ever done.
Speaker C:I hadn't listened to it, but this is the 911 one.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:We interviewed a couple who were in the air as the events of September 11th unfolded.
Speaker B:They were crossing the Atlantic on their way back from Europe and got diverted to a small little island town in Canada in Newfoundland.
Speaker B:The town was called Gander.
Speaker B:And they and 39 other intercontinental flights were diverted to this tiny little town.
Speaker B:And what they experienced became the subject of an award winning musical called Come from Away.
Speaker B:And we got to hear it firsthand from those that were there.
Speaker B:And the story, you're going to be one big goosebump listening to this story.
Speaker B:And it was our finest hour, I believe.
Speaker B:So I encourage you to go take a look.
Speaker B:You will be entertained, you will be informed.
Speaker B:You might even cry.
Speaker C:Oh well team, I will absolutely check that out and let you guys know how Good.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker C:And then I'll say, hey, go listen to it for yourself.
Speaker C:But I think that Barrett's already listened to it.
Speaker C:He said it was fantastic.
Speaker C:So, hey.
Speaker B:And that's off to our producer, executive producer and czar of big media empires, Barrett Gruber.
Speaker B:Do I get to play a sounder?
Speaker C:I wonder what that sound was.
Speaker B:Are you gonna play what was the sound?
Speaker B:Play the RFK Jr sound.
Speaker B:That's what you should play.
Speaker B:Oh, okay.
Speaker C:What was that sound?
Speaker C:It was the dj.
Speaker C:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:Air horn.
Speaker B:But Barrett is the one that got me started into the realm of podcasting as a candidate.
Speaker B:His was the first podcast I went on.
Speaker C:How did you end up on his podcast?
Speaker B:I have.
Speaker B:I lost a bet somewhere along the way.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:No, he had reached out.
Speaker B:He was reaching out to all of the candidates at the time, trying to make a name for the all about Nothing podcast.
Speaker B:So I listened to a couple of his episodes.
Speaker B:I agreed it was my first media presence.
Speaker B:Came out to Lexington in their studio at the time, had a good time with them.
Speaker B:They were a fun trio of guys to speak with.
Speaker B:Very, very loose and relaxed.
Speaker B:Then I had been on their show another time after that campaign, more as a kind of a behind the scenes of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
Speaker B:Guest talked about the convention that occurred.
Speaker B:Had a lot more fun.
Speaker B:That was a rip roaring.
Speaker B:Probably one of the best AAN podcast they've ever had was that appearance.
Speaker C:Is that true, Barrett?
Speaker C:Remember I've been on your podcast.
Speaker B:There's that clip that I shared about the process about selecting chairs.
Speaker B:And I went through the rules that the Democrats went through.
Speaker B:And then Trent asked, well, do the Republicans go through those same rules?
Speaker C:I listened to that episode.
Speaker B:That was the best episode ever.
Speaker B:I have to go back to that.
Speaker B:Anyhow, he got me interested in it and got me connected with the right equipment, the techniques, and he's done the same with your show here and with a brand new show called Politically Speaking that I listened to their debut episode recently.
Speaker B:It was fantastic.
Speaker B:I'd like this little Empire bear.
Speaker B:It's grown, so hats off to him.
Speaker B:Well done.
Speaker B:Sampson, Pruitt and Mayer sound like the worst law firm, though.
Speaker B:It does.
Speaker B:Sampson, Pruitt and Mayer llc.
Speaker C:For those people who don't know what Barrett's over there yammering about, those are the last names of the people who are hosting the Politically Speaking.
Speaker C:Politically Speaking.
Speaker C:So.
Speaker C:Well, then let's go ahead and close this up, guys.
Speaker C:I appreciate you tuning in.
Speaker C:This episode, I think is going to be my April episode.
Speaker C:So It'll be a while.
Speaker C:April Fools, just like Bill.
Speaker C:Until next time, be safe, be kind and keep your hands to yourself and stay curious.
Speaker C:Oh, sorry, he did it wrong.
Speaker C:There you have it.
Speaker A:I hope that this behind the scenes peek was interesting and informative to you.
Speaker A:I really enjoyed having Bill on.
Speaker A:And if you're into local politics, be sure to check out the podcast he does with Dr.
Speaker A:Jamil Brooks.
Speaker A:Black, White and Blue in the south.
Speaker B:Welcome to Black, White and Blue in the South, a podcast discussing Democratic politics with a Southern flair.
Speaker B:I'm Bill Kimler.
Speaker B:I'm Jamil Brooks and we're coming to you from Greenwood, South Carolina, a little red county in a very red state.
Speaker A:You can also follow Bill on social media.
Speaker A:Political Bill sc.
Speaker A:Thank you again to Preach Jacobs for use of the space at Soul House Art Gallery.
Speaker A:And thank you for listening to this podcast again this month.
Speaker A:Until next time, be safe, be kind, and stay curious.
Speaker A:The welcome to Wonderland podcast is copyrighted by Amie Bland and is distributed by Big Media, llc.
Speaker A:This podcast is recorded in and around Columbia, South Carolina.
Speaker A:Any thoughts or opinions are those of the hostess unless otherwise indicated.
Speaker A:Subscribe to this podcast wherever you get your podcast, please, like, follow and share the podcast.
Speaker A:Check out the welcome to Wonderland linktree at linktreewtwlpod to find out where to join me on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and more.
Speaker A:When you find me, be sure to follow, like, share, subscribe, do all the things it helps me grow.
Speaker A:Visit www.wtwlpod for more information and to contact the hostess for corrections, additional information or requests for episodes.
Speaker C:Be sure to check out the other.
Speaker A:Great Big Media podcasts.
Speaker A:The All About Nothing podcast with Barrett and Zach is the OG podcast that got us all started.
Speaker A:Black, White and Blue in the south with Dr.
Speaker A:Jamil Brooks and Bill Kemmler gives us a look at blue politics and a red state.
Speaker A:What the pod was that with Kerry, Barrett and Zach will make you laugh out loud as they watch the best and the worst of what the Internet has to offer.
Speaker A:For a look at politics in South Carolina through the eyes of three young women, check out Politically Speaking, a new addition to the Big Media collection.
Speaker A:Thanks for listening.
Speaker B:Whenever you are ready.
Speaker A:I'm ready.
Speaker A:I'm ready.
Speaker B:I'm ready.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:For real, we're ready.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Why am I gobering this up?
Speaker A:Cast her over.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker C:Yeah.
