Making and Taking Calls

I got a phone call from a candidate for Governor in a Midwestern state yesterday. We are friendly, but he’s a current candidate, so this wasn’t a social call. I cut to the chase:

“Hey, I know you’re in the midst of a campaign. What can I do to help?”

“Well, we have a fundraising deadline this week and want to put up a good number. Thank you for already donating to my campaign. Could you donate even more?”

“Sure,” I said. “Happy to help.”

“Great,” he said. “I’ll send you a link.”

The entire call took maybe 2 minutes. I try to be very fast with these calls because it’s a gift for the candidate to get their time back.

I would know, as I made hundreds or even thousands of those calls when I was running for President. It’s hard to keep track. Whenever you’re in a rental vehicle for more than 30 minutes, a staffer says, “Great, we can do call time!” And then your soul recoils.

I hated doing call time. I would much rather do what a normal person does in the car – listen to music or have a conversation. Or even check and post on social media, which was sort of a hybrid move because it theoretically drove value to the campaign and also didn’t make you want to shoot yourself on a good day.

As someone who has made so many of these calls, I try to be the ideal recipient. Fast, supportive, efficient, and no hoop-jumping. No questions from me. No advice. Just deliver value and be encouraging.

“I was a bit naïve when I ran in 2022,” said Brian Bengs, who is currently running for Senator in South Dakota as an Independent. “I went out to people in diners and flea markets telling them who I was and why I was running as an antidote to politics-as-usual. Kind of an old-fashioned vision of campaigning. South Dakota only has 935,000 people so I could theoretically get in front of a decent percentage of voters.” It probably helps that Brian, an Air Force veteran and former college instructor, is 6’ 8” tall and sticks out in a crowd.

“This time, in 2026 I’m spending a lot more time on the phone doing call time,” Brian continues. “I’ve realized that the money matters more than we like to admit. My campaign has raised more money this year than any non-incumbent in 12 years. I still get out in front of people but more so on weekends when folks get together.” That rhythm was familiar to me. “South Dakota is a very cheap state to advertise in, so having raised almost a million dollars is a very big deal here.” Brian is polling within 4 points of the 71-year-old incumbent, Mike Rounds, in a one-on-one race in a state that Trump won by 29% in 2024. It’s another reminder that Americans want more choices beyond the usual red versus blue. I donated to Brian’s campaign gladly as a high-leverage opportunity.

I admire folks like Brian who are on the campaign trail. He’s working hard. As a candidate, you put yourself out there and do what you have to do. When I made those phone calls, a good productive call would sometimes energize me for the next one. Still, in my case I immediately hungered to graduate from call time to something that felt more like movement-building, from one-to-one to one-to-many.

I’ve belatedly learned, though, that you probably never really graduate. Obama wound up having to make phone calls for his newly opened presidential center with much higher dollar amounts attached. I still call people. The best you can hope for is that you have the right people calling for the right reasons, or, if you’re the one making the calls, that people actually pick up. An end to dialing-for-dollars would make my heart sing.

I hope you’re enjoying the summer! For my conversation with Brian Bengs, U.S. Senate candidate for South Dakota, click here. To check out Forward Party candidates in your area, click here. To get a copy of “Hey Yang, Where’s My Thousand Bucks?” click here and use the code “UBIUBI” for 25% off. I’m doing a book talk this Wednesday in LA on July 22^nd. For 3 months off your mobile bill with Noble Mobile, click here or email matt@noblemobile.com and use my name to switch or explore. I made my reality TV debut this past week, unless you count running for President, and the next episode airs on Wednesday at 9 pm.