So you’ve won your first elected office–congratulations!  Hard work pays off, and you deserve to take a much-needed break.

For about five minutes.

As an elected official, your first and most important priority should be doing a good job for your constituents. They put their trust in you, and you owe it to them to work as hard as you can for them.

There’s an old saying among politicians (or there should be, anyway) that tomorrow’s re-election campaign starts today. Even if you won the election yesterday, you need to start thinking about the next time your name appears on the ballot.

But here’s how my opinion might differ from those of other, more Machiavellian consultants: I think that the best way to campaign for your next election is by doing what the voters elected you to do.

That means researching the issues.  It means listening to the people who put you there.  It means working your tail off to make sure that the decisions you make are in the best interests of your constituents, not your political career.

By doing a great job for the people who elected you to office, you’ll be practicing good campaigning, as well. When a politician buckles down, does his best, and doesn’t reflexively seek out the spotlight, people talk.  They like seeing someone who works hard for them, even if you make a few inevitable mistakes in the process.

Far too many politicians let themselves relax after they win a campaign, putting away that energy and excitement until the next election season.

Don’t be one of those politicians.  Reroute that energy you used on the campaign trail to help you do the best job you can as an elected official.  Interact with your constituents, defend what you know is right, and stay as educated as you can on the issues.

If you concentrate on working hard for your constituents, you’ll have one heck of a record to run on when the next election season rolls around.  Donors and volunteers will step up to help without being asked, because they’ll be intimately familiar with your work ethic and dedication to the people you represent.

Tomorrow’s campaign really does start today . . . so go do the best job you possibly can!

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