Don't Be Libertarian. BegayThe most ignored story of the day.

From the most ignored news story of November 2, 2005 in the Yankton Daily Press and Dakotan. (Registration required, but worth it):

Begay Announces Bid For House Seat

By: BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
randy.dockendorf@yankton.net

After winning only about 1 percent of the vote in his two previous U.S. House races, Terry Begay might be expected to drop out of politics.

Instead, the Volin man said he sees victory straight ahead, even if he is the longest of long shots.

"I'm not running just to send a message. I'm running to win," Begay said. "I'm more confident now. I push harder when people say I can't do it."

and....

"I have an insight into everyday people that members of Congress don't see," he said. "The politicians just spend, spend, spend. They are taxing our future generations. If we don't balance the budget, it will be on the backs of our children and grandchildren."

Begay counts name recognition among his greatest campaign assets this time around. He believes he has benefited from past races, including his 2002 run against two of the state's political heavyweights: Republican Bill Janklow and Democrat Stephanie Herseth.

Janklow, a former attorney general and governor, surged late in the 2002 House race to win the two-year term. After he resigned from office the following year, Herseth won both a special election and general election in 2004.

"If you only run once or twice, people don't take you seriously as a candidate," Begay said. "Now, people recognize me and ask if I'm running."

Read the whole thing here. "If you only run once or twice, people don't take you seriously as a candidate."That's a quote of the day.

Seriously, It's like the existential question about a tree falling in the woods. If a candidate announced for office and nobody heard it, would he really be running? As of yesterday, it's even more official that Terry Begay is off and running, casting aside the shackles of the Libertarian party for independent glory. But just try to find it in the newspapers today. It's like it didn't even make a ripple in a puddle.

As many others, I might shake my head over these people who run in their own style. The ones who run for statewide office, and only spend $500. But in a little way, I have to admire their moxy and somewhat their capacity for self-abuse.

2808 people in South Dakota picked Terry as the "none of the above candidate in 2004" which was down from the 3128 votes he garnered in 2002.

Without being silly, On a $500 budget, what advice would we have for Terry to raise his profile for a statewide office?

1. Go to Sioux Falls. And stay there. It's where most of the votes are. It's the Willie Sutton philosophy on robbing banks - "it's where the money is." You need votes. So go where there are votes. Cause there ain't diddley in Volin.

2. Start going door to door. It's free. $500 will get you a lot of Xeroxed flyers if you cut the paper in half. People like to see their candidates, and you'd be surprised how a 3rd party candidate could do if they actually did that. And door to door means residences and businesses. Visit the coffee shops. You need to constantly be on the move.

3. Two words - Free Media. If you're in Sioux Falls, just like #1, it's also where the media is. Stage events to illustrate your position. If Congresswoman Herseth trash talks you during the campaign, send out a press release and show up on the sidewalk in front of her congressional offices with a bucket of mud to return what she's been slinging. It would get coverage.

Op-ed pieces are good to. Bombard the papers with your press releases. Every other politician does.

There's only three quick tips (this is my lunch hour post), but if you did all three, I'd put money on the fact that a person might be able to garner more votes than 2808.

And remember, in 2006, Don't be Herseth - BEGAY! (I can't wait to see the t-shirts)