“The Truth Behind the Politics”

by Gianna Cacciatore
Presidency and the Press

Derek Scalia and Jacob Avery unveiled the realities of campaigning to Presidency and
the Press students on Wednesday.

When it comes down to the final months, campaigns are all hard work. “It’s
twenty-four seven for more than two weeks before primary time,” said both Avery and Scalia, political field directors and campaigners. Hours grow longer as elections come closer with dinner parties, door to door visits, lit drops, and phone calls filling increasing blocks of time.

The work load of election time campaigning is so much that it grows to require heavy volunteer support. Workers like Avery and Scalia recruit volunteers according to their campaign strategies and work hard to keep them content. “Volunteers must be kept happy,” said Avery. Without volunteer assistance, campaigning steps like last minute phone calls and sign holding would not occur.

But in the end, all effort pays off. For Scalia, who has been fascinated by politics from the ripe age of nine, running a campaign is fufilling and exciting. Though he admitted he has never actually won, he finds it’s the experience that truly matters, and that the hard work is the real accomplishment. And for Avery, the feeling is the same. Despite the outcome of the election, “that day is unbelievable”.