The Grassroots Approach

“You eat when you get the chance,” Mike Oot says over breakfast at a diner a short walk from his campaign office. When campaigning in a congressional district encompassing more than 14,000 square miles, food isn’t always your primary concern.

Oot, a Democrat from Madison County, is running for Congress in the 23rd Congressional District (seen on the nationalatlas.gov map above). A lawyer from the rural community of Stockbridge, New York, Oot is a newcomer to the realm of politics. His only previous political experience is as a school board member. His campaign website is located here.

Undertaking a political campaign of this scale is an incredible undertaking. Oot said he began seriously considering running in spring of 2007. He announced his intention to challenge 10-term incumbent John Mchugh approximately seven months ago.

The campaign is truly a grassroots effort. The 23rd District contains part or all of 11 counties and can take as long as four hours to traverse north to south. “I’ve been door-to-door in all 11,” Oot says. He believes for each door you knock on the word of mouth spreads to several others.

Without an established web of political supporters, networking is essential. The Madison County Democratic Party endorsed Oot very early on. Procuring the support of town and county committees is crucial to getting the petition signatures necessary to get on the ballot.

Campaign volunteers are critical to any successful campaign. When trying to get your name out over a massive region, the work of each volunteer becomes essential.

“More people are engaged the closer we get to the election,” Oot says of his fervent volunteer core. “There is only one paid staffer in the campaign.”

Even with volunteers helping every step of the way, running for congress is a taxing ordeal. Oot commented that “sleeping in” means not waking up by 6:00 a.m. Door-to-door campaigning, campaign events, and meetings with the press fill each day’s schedule.

The support from his family has been the driving force behind keeping Oot going on the campaign trail. “They have been supportive every step of the way,” Oot says. “They make it possible.”

With the election right around the corner, things won’t be slowing down until Election Day. Oot plans to watch the returns with supporters in Oneida. Despite the rigors of the campaign, he insists it has been a pleasure. “There have been more highs than lows.”

Below is a video of the Oot campaign in Plattsburgh courtesy of WPTZ, an NBC affiliate in Plattsburgh.



-Nate March
Politics Feature