The 2010 campaign season is starting to heat up, and around the country former congressional aides are aiming to move into the ranks of members of Congress.
In Arkansas, David Boling is attempting to follow in his boss’ footsteps. Soon after Rep. Vic Snyder (D-Ark.) announced he would not seek re-election, Boling resigned his position as Snyder’s chief of staff to mount his own campaign for the seat.
In Tennesse, former staffer Jack Bailey is running for the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.). Bailey served as chief of staff to Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) until 2002.
Spending time as a congressional employee seems to give a boost to candidates. According to a study done in 1994 by Paul Herrnson, a government and politics professor at the University of Maryland, former staff members made up four percent of all candidates but 15 percent of the members of the House of Representatives.
In just the last few years, former staffers such as Dan Maffei (D-N.Y.); Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) and Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) have successfully been elected to the House of Representatives. In addition, Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Sen. Joe Biden's long-time chief of staff, was appointed to the Senate to serve the end of Biden’s term after Biden was elected vice-president.
Other aides move from congressional staffer to state office first. Jaime Herrera, who worked for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) before becoming a Washington state representative, is now running for the seat vacated by Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) who is stepping down at the end of this term.
Other former staffers running for Congress in this election cycle include Ed Potosnak, who worked for Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.). and is the only Democrat who has announced a run again Rep. Leonard Lance (R-N.J.). Ben Lange is running in the Republican primary for the seat held by Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa). Lange worked for Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) until 2007.
If you know of any other former staffers making a run for office, let us know in the comments. We’ll follow the fates of these staffers throughout the election season.
