Why “It’s All in My Head” Is Not a Campaign Plan

And why your campaign’s success depends on writing it down

Most campaigns fail because they treat strategy like an idea instead of a system. I’ve managed campaigns for 15 years, and I’ve lost count of the number of candidates who say they have a plan, only to point to their head when asked to show it.

Let me be clear: that’s not a plan. That’s a liability.

The Problem: Too Many “Plans” Are Just Ideas

We’ve all been in that conversation.

Me: Do you have a campaign plan?
Candidate: Of course!
Me: Great. Can I see it?
Candidate: Oh... it’s all up here. [taps head]

This moment, which usually feels like a light joke to the candidate, is a flashing red warning to any serious campaign strategist. Because if it’s not written down, it can’t be stress-tested. It can’t be executed by others. It can’t scale. And it sure can’t win a modern campaign.

Campaigns are too complex and too fast-moving to operate on vibes and memory. Vote goals, turnout projections, field metrics, messaging infrastructure, staff timelines, budget details... none of that lives safely inside your head. And if you try to keep it there, it will fail under pressure.

The Strategic Framework: What a Real Campaign Plan Includes

About a month ago, I built a district topline for Illinois HD45 to show how a Moderate Republican could win and hold the seat (at least through the next redistricting cycle). But belief alone doesn’t win elections. So I followed that topline with a full 28-page campaign plan. Here’s what it included:

1. Vote Goal and Universe Breakdown

• Target: 22,985 votes (based on projected 52% turnout)
• Swing Universe: 13,937 persuadable voters
• GOTV Universe: 2,924 inactive Republicans who can be reactivated
• Everything built backward from these numbers.

2. Four-Phase Field Plan

• Recruit from the base, identify persuadables, execute layered persuasion, and maximize GOTV.
• Clear benchmarks for volunteer recruitment, call and text hours, and door targets (over 22,000 doors and 17,000 cell contacts).

3. Layered Volunteer Model

• Team leaders, captains, and intern cohorts to anchor the program.
• Regular check-ins, mentorship layers, and a bounce-back program to convert passive supporters into active doers.

4. Messaging Infrastructure

Randy Stafford (our candidate) isn’t running on a bloated platform. He’s anchoring around three clear, local values:

• Strong local economies
• Transparent government
• Smart education investment

Every press hit, podcast segment, and social post ties back to these.

5. Calendar Through November 2026

• Starts June 2025.
• Petition launch in September.
• Primary prep through winter.
• Summer ramp-up in 2026.
• Full-scale persuasion and GOTV from July to Election Day.

This isn’t theory. It’s execution planning. The kind that lets staff know what’s expected of them, allows volunteers to see where they fit, and gives donors confidence that their dollars are part of a real operation.

You can read the full plan on Linkedin:

Actionable Takeaways: What Your Plan Should Have

If you’re serious about building a real campaign, here are the minimum elements you need written down today:

• Vote Goal Calculation: Use registration and turnout projections to build your win number.
• Universe Segmentation: Break your voters into base, persuasion, and turnout targets.
• Calendar with Benchmarks: Don’t just list events. Tie them to recruitment, fundraising, or voter contact goals.
• Hiring Plan with Roles & Responsibilities: Know who does what, when, and why.
• Budget by Category: Work backward from expected revenue, and define your non-negotiables (spoiler: voter contact should be one).
• Messaging Framework: Boil down your issues to 2–3 priorities voters will remember.
• Field Plan with Tactics: Don’t just say “canvass.” Say how many doors, how many passes, and what each phase is trying to achieve.

Why This Matters: Execution Beats Ideation

I’ve worked on hundreds of races. The ones that win almost never have the flashiest ads or the most viral content. They win because they execute. They win because the candidate doesn’t just know the plan: they’ve written it, reviewed it, and trained others on it.

In HD45, the math is clear: Republicans start at a deficit. The only way to close that gap is with meticulous planning and relentless execution. That’s why every door, every dollar, and every volunteer hour is accounted for.

In Closing

If your campaign plan only exists in your head, you’re not planning. You’re guessing. And guessing doesn’t win.

A real campaign plan is about being prepared. It’s the difference between scrambling and scaling. Between making noise and making gains. Between losing narrowly and winning smart.

Write it down. Share it. Refine it. Execute it. That’s how you win.