Life Inside Campaigns from Chelsea Cross, Brett Timmerman and Aaron Perry
In just a few days, on Feb. 18, 2020, Wisconsin’s Spring Primary elections will be here. Milwaukee Mayor, Milwaukee County Executive and Justice Of The Supreme Court are a few of the positions that will be on this upcoming ballot. The top two selections will move onto the Spring Election on April 7, 2020, which is also the Presidential Preference Primary.
Each ballot will differ based on one’s zip code.
Most of us know the struggles of trying to keep up with politics, but a lot of us don’t know the people working inside the campaign. Carvd N Stone’s President Nyesha Stone sat down with Chelsea Cross, campaign manager for Ed Fallone; Brett Timmerman, event and outreach coordinator for Tom Palzewicz; and Aaron Perry, political consultant for Tom Palzewicz to learn more about the life of people who work in campaigns.
Before committing to the campaign life, Cross was preparing to take the MCAT in Jan. of 2018. Her mother, Danielle Shelton’s run for Milwaukee County Circuit Judge inspired Cross to go full-time campaign mode. At the time, Shelton was seen as a real underdog, but with the help of her ambitious daughter, and others, Shelton defeated incumbent Andrew Jones. With less money, less marketing and a whole lot to prove, Cross fought for the victory of her mom.
During Shelton’s campaign, Cross and her mother were making it a mission to connect with everyone. And that meant going to predominately white areas talking to people who may have never spoken to a Black person before.
According to Cross, Fallone seen the drive and determination Cross put into Shelton’s campaign and he wanted the same for his, so he hired her.
Fallone is running for Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Cross finds herself on the go most days because “work is never done.”
This is Cross’s first statewide election and there is no routine to follow because each day has a different task or goal to accomplish.
When running a campaign of this nature, Cross has to sacrifice time with loved ones and even with herself in order to push for a successful campaign.
Even with the long days, Cross wakes up every day ready to start again.
“I’m in my dream job,” Cross said.
Around the time Tammy Baldwin was running for senate in 2012, was around the same time Timmerman was dealing with depression and fighting suicidal thoughts because he was being bullied for his sexual orientation.
Timmerman became inspired by Baldwin’s courageousness and wanted to be a part of electing the first openly gay candidate to the U.S. Senate. He began raising money for Baldwin, but first needed a plan. He crafted a personal (true) story that he then told the people he knew in his extensive network and asked them to donate. And, if they couldn’t donate, he’d asked for suggestions on others who might be able to.
“All you do is need to ask [and] people are ready to give,” but you have to be genuine and a have good story, Timmerman added. “Everybody wants their friends to be successful.”
His first fundraising event raised $22,000 for Baldwin’s campaign. Over the years, he’s raised $100,000 plus for campaigns.
Politics is a way for Timmerman to give a platform to himself and people like him, so he can help others avoid the traumas he’s been through.
“You ought to feel like you have representation throughout this country,” he said.
Timmerman is helping Palzewicz run for Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District.
In May of 2019, Waukesha Ald. Perry announced on a radio show that he switched political parties. Perry is officially a Democrat.
Perry said he could “can only take so much BS” when it came to supporting the Republican party. When voting for Gov. Tony Evers, he said he saw how much of an impact that had.
According to Perry, it doesn’t end well for most people who switch parties.
“I didn’t do it for a headline. I didn’t do it to stand on the sidelines,” he said. Perry also thought of his kids. “If I didn’t do something then they’re not going to do something.”
Perry is highly engaged on social media and uses it as a tool to connect with with the world, in his way.
Perry denied Palzewicz’s offer to help run his campaign in 2018, but said okay this time around when Palzewicz said, “Aaron, I need your mind.”
“Loyalty is our biggest form of currency,” Perry said about taking a chance on Palzewicz’s campaign.
After going through a recent divorce, Perry is reinventing himself and pushing for all of the things he wants.