Deciding Where to Build Your Political Career
6 min
Table of Contents
1. “Do I Have to Live in D.C.?”
2. Geography vs. Opportunity
3. Swing States/Competitive Districts
4. Ruby Red States
5. Politics From Anywhere
You may have already read our beginner’s guide to getting a job in Democratic politics. But one big question remains – one that matters in any career but becomes especially critical in politics. If you've considered working in politics, you've probably already asked yourself: “Where should I live?”
While we can’t make that decision for you – or give you a straight answer because there are many personal factors to weigh, like family, cost of living, social circles, and the climate – we can give you the information you need to start researching where to launch your political career. That’s exactly what we’re here to deliver today – and can offer with our free 30-minute course, Starting a Career in Politics.
“Do I Have to Live in D.C.?”
If this is your first question about where to live to work in politics, you haven’t read our post debunking campaign job myths! Okay, fine – we’ll spoil it: No, you 100% do not have to live in Washington, D.C. to start or build a career in Democratic politics. And we can prove it: out of more than 30 employees here at NDTC, less than 5 live in D.C.
Living in D.C. is generally only a true requirement if you want to work for a federal elected in an “official” capacity — meaning you help to fulfill the duties of their current office, rather than work on their next campaign. National committees (think DNC, DSCC, DCCC, and DLCC) are also D.C.-based if you’d like to work for the Democratic Party in a broader sense. Although many roles at these committees involve supporting competitive races across the country, so you'd still get exposure to campaigns nationwide!
That said though, living in D.C. has a pretty robust pros list for starting a career in politics. If you’re interested in federal politics or major political organizations (like the ACLU, Human Rights Campaign, etc.), we’d certainly recommend it. Because it comes with a never-ending network, high concentration of political jobs, and access to lots of national organizations that can accelerate your career growth.
Geography vs. Opportunity
If you’re rooted in your community, we’ll talk about the plentiful opportunities available to you – wherever you live – in a minute. But many political job opportunities do depend on where you live, just like any other industry. Here’s what they look like:
1. Swing States/Competitive Districts
Purple states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia are often ripe with opportunity for those interested in working on a campaign. They’re more likely to have a consistent campaign infrastructure year-round with many entry-level positions. These races also tend to get the most national attention – and having a big-name campaign on your resume isn’t a bad thing either!
2. Deep Blue States
Working on a campaign in a blue state doesn’t mean it isn’t competitive – it’s about when it’s competitive. These elections are often toughest in the primary, when all the Democratic candidates go head-to-head. Bear in mind that if your campaign loses in the primary, your job tenure will be cut short – but the advantage here is that there is generally a more stable party infrastructure in blue states, which can lead to your next role.
3. Ruby Red States
Working in a red state is often most rewarding when you commit to the work for a sustained period of time, because that progress is achieved over years-long efforts – not overnight. There are real opportunities there for those willing to put in the work and see it through, and it doesn’t hurt that there will likely be less competition for those jobs. Ballot initiatives are especially important here to make progress on issues that legislators won’t, and there are organizations specifically focused on them. If you’re looking to get involved in organizing, the need and impact are huge in red states (though not exclusively!)
Politics From Anywhere
Honestly? Campaign and official jobs are less likely to be remote than organizational roles. But first, that’s not a hard and fast rule, and second, it doesn’t mean you should give up on the idea. What we would say is that you need to set and sharpen your political job-hunting focus. If you are pursuing remote work, think about building skills that translate best to that environment (say, digital marketing over field work). Or, if you live a drivable distance from your state capitol or larger city, it could open you up to hybrid opportunities where a longer commute is doable if it’s only two to three days per week. Either way, don’t write off the option.
Where you live might influence what path you take to a career in politics, but it absolutely does not limit your impact. For more guidance, check out our free 30-minute course Starting a Career in Politics. And our website is always stocked with more free career resources to help you succeed.
