What we need

Here's what we need. Here's what it buys.

A small-dollar campaign in a gerrymandered district. Primary-only sprint, May through August. Every dollar shows up on the public ledger. Every dollar in this budget has a job.

Core budget

$80,000 to $100,000

This is what it takes to run the primary the way I'm running it. Memphis HQ four days a week. A trailer through the other sixteen counties three days a week. A treasurer doing real compliance work. A consultant who knows how to win in this district. Software, gas, and the basics. No million-dollar war chest, because I don't need one to make the argument.

Staff and compliance

Treasurer (Chris Swenson), part-time consultant (Emilee Warner). The campaign manager pay is being negotiated.

$30,000 - $40,000

Travel and field

Mobile HQ trailer, gas across 17 counties, in-district event costs, basic field infrastructure.

$15,000 - $20,000

Digital and content

Website hosting, video production, podcast equipment upgrade, social ads on a small scale.

$10,000 - $15,000

Memphis HQ

Crosstown Concourse co-working space, Monday through Thursday, for the duration of the primary.

$8,000 - $10,000

Filing, legal, and admin

Filing fees already paid. Legal counsel for one-time campaign finance review. FEC reporting software.

$7,000 - $10,000

Reserve

Contingency for unexpected costs. Held until needed, then reported on the ledger.

$10,000 - $15,000

Core budget total

$80,000 - $100,000
Stretch goals

What additional fundraising would unlock

Layered above the core. Decision logic: see what's actually raised before committing.

  1. $150,000

    Local TV and radio

    Cable buys in Memphis and rural West Tennessee. Radio across rural counties where TV reach is thin. The reason most candidates need a million dollars is that broadcast advertising is expensive. The reason we can run on less is that we'll only buy where it actually matters.

  2. $200,000

    District-wide polling

    A real poll, not a vibe check. Sample-weighted to the actual district, with crosstabs by county and demographic. The kind of poll that tells you what's actually working and what isn't, instead of guessing.

  3. $250,000

    Larger in-district events

    Multi-county town halls. Catered events in venues that hold actual crowds. Subsidized travel for rural voters who want to attend Memphis events. The goal: every county gets at least one major event.

  4. $300,000+

    Direct mail

    Targeted mail to primary voters in the rural counties where digital and broadcast can't reach. Old-fashioned, expensive, and effective in the places where it still works.

Cadence

Fundraising Friday

One ask, once a week, on Friday. With specifics. What we raised last week, what we spent it on, what we need this week, and what specific things on this list it would unlock if we hit it. The cadence matters. People want to know what they're signing up for and what it's going toward.

The ask isn't going to be daily emails about a fake deadline. It's going to be once a week, on Friday, with the receipts attached.