Post Primary Tune-Up
What candidates should be doing NOW!
The primary is over. Take a breath. Drink some water. Sleep for eight hours if you can remember how.
Then it is time for the post-primary tune-up.
Before we start, I need to say something out loud because it is driving me a little crazy.
A surprising number of Texas candidates who won their primaries still do not have websites.
If this is you, the time to fix that was weeks ago. The second best time is today. Get it up immediately.
Okay. Let’s get to work.
Step One: Give Thanks
Campaigns run on people. Not ads. Not consultants. Not clever slogans.
People.
The first thing you should do after a primary is thank the people who helped you get there.
Call your primary opponents and thank them for running.
Call your donors and thank them for believing in you.
Write handwritten thank-you notes when you can.
Call your volunteers.
Post public thank-yous on social media.
Gratitude builds loyalty. Loyalty builds campaigns.
Step Two: The Campaign Audit
Now it is time to go through your campaign with a magnifying glass.
Start with the obvious.
Do you have a website? If not, stop reading and fix that. Then go through it page by page. Check every single link and donation button to make sure they actually work.
Add a media page with downloadable headshots.
Make sure you have an issues page.
Make sure you are collecting emails and phone numbers from visitors. That list becomes gold in the fall.
Make a list of content that needs to be updated for the general election.
Refresh your photos and visuals so everything feels current.
Remember, you are no longer speaking only to your base. You are speaking to everyone in the district now. That may mean adjusting tone, emphasizing issues, or showing how you work across communities.
Test every email address connected to your campaign. Make sure messages are not disappearing into spam folders.
Set up a Google Voice number if you have not already. Protect your personal phone number.
Make sure you are present on all major social media platforms. EVEN TWITTER! I know it sucks but your opponent is on there. Tools like Buffer can help you schedule posts across multiple channels.
While you are at it, go back through your personal social media history and clean up anything that could be used against you. Campaign opposition researchers absolutely will.
If you are not on Substack, consider starting one. Post short updates regularly and longer pieces at least once a week.
Create a Linktree and place it in the bio of every social media account so people can easily find your website, donation page, and volunteer sign-up.
Update your bios to say:
“Democratic Nominee for…”
Then pin three posts:
• Your introduction video
• Why you are running
• A volunteer or donation link
Your social media profile should function like a mini campaign website.
Step Three: Strengthen Your Network
If you ran in a contested primary, reach out to the people you ran against.
Invite them for coffee. Listen. Ask for their help. You will need them. And yes, you should buy the coffee.
This is also the time to build your surrogate team. Identify trusted supporters who can represent your campaign at events when you cannot attend and train them to speak on your behalf.
Step Four: Know Your Numbers
Study the primary turnout numbers in your district.
Where did your voters come from?
Where were you weak?
Where were turnout gaps?
Those answers should shape your general election strategy.
Then start building your calendar for the general election.
A helpful trick is to work backwards from Election Day and map out the months ahead.
Step Five: Get Your House in Order
Campaigns can get messy after a primary.
Now is the time to organize.
Make sure your compliance filings are current.
Review your vendors. What worked? What did not?
Consolidate all of your campaign data into one system.
Then establish a weekly rhythm.
A healthy campaign week usually includes:
• One fundraiser
• One volunteer event
• One community appearance
• One press moment
• One digital push
Consistency beats intensity every time.
Step Six: Activate Your Supporters
One of the most powerful organizing tools is friend-to-friend outreach.
Ask supporters to:
Host house parties
Share campaign posts
Introduce you to their neighbors
Put up yard signs
Campaigns grow when they move from being candidate-centered to community-centered.
Step Seven: Start the Visibility Work
Yes, we are talking about yard signs.
They take longer to produce and distribute than most people expect, so start planning now.
Design them early.
Recruit neighborhood captains who can distribute them later.
Yard signs are not just persuasion tools. They create psychological momentum.
People like to vote for candidates they see everywhere.
Step Eight: Build Your Endorsement Strategy
Now that the primary is over, begin building a broad coalition of endorsements for the general election.
Think beyond political figures.
Reach out to:
Local elected officials
Community leaders
Union members
Teachers
Veterans
Faith leaders
Small business owners
These endorsements send signals to voters about who trusts you.
Step Nine: Practice Your Why statement
You will be asked the same question hundreds of times:
“Why are you running?”
Your answer should be clear and repeatable.
Aim for something that is about one minute long.
Make it personal.
Make it clear.
Make it emotional.
If voters cannot repeat your story, they will not remember your campaign.
Step Ten: Take Care of Yourself
Campaigns are marathons.
Protect your energy.
Schedule one day off each week.
Exercise when you can.
Spend time with family.
Burned-out candidates make mistakes.
The Big Truth Most Campaigns Forget
The general election is not won in October.
It is won right now, in the quiet weeks when few people are paying attention.
Campaigns that use this time to organize, unify, and build structure enter the fall with momentum.
The others spend October wondering where all the time went.
Choose wisely.
Now, let’s go and elect some Democrats!
Nancy Thompson
A couple more years of reading Nancy articles and I will be a pro. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience.