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A spirit that is not afraid

'More difficult than people know': Campaign managers weigh in on what it’s like to give it their all but not get it all

For the campaign managers, waking up at the crack of dawn, missing meals and losing voices was for more than a bound up the back steps of Cater to a tumultuous applause, though it would’ve helped

Cater Lawn filled with people during callouts on Tue, Feb. 5, 2019 in Auburn, Ala.
Cater Lawn filled with people during callouts on Tue, Feb. 5, 2019 in Auburn, Ala.

On election night, Julia Garrison walked arm in arm to the back of Cater Hall with her SGA presidential candidate, Brooks Jones. 

“He thought he was going to throw up,” Garrison said. “I thought I was too, but I couldn’t say that.” 

Owen Bullington stood right beside his SGA treasurer candidate, Abhi Gulati. 

“I was expecting to lift him on my shoulders,” Bullington said. “All his Top 10 and I locked arms. All of our fraternity tried to put a hand on him — you know, just good luck.”

At 10:32 p.m., the Elections Council strolled onto Cater Hall’s balcony to roars of delight. Garrison’s hand interlocked with Jones’. Bullington and his crew closed in tighter. 

“But then, there’s the overarching thought in my mind: ‘What if we lose?’” Bullington said. “How’s that going to affect Ahbi’s passion for his vision?” 

Garrison had similar thoughts.

“It’s not so much nerves that you won’t win. My belief in Brooks never wavered,” Garrison said. “But it’s hard not to compare yourself to the other candidates – How many people did they get? Were they on that corner? Did we need people there?”

Through the lawn’s anxious silence, the Elections Council fired off the winning names. 

“It’s a feeling that’s so difficult to understand because you pour your heart and soul into one thing for months on end, working harder than you ever worked on anything else, and then, within minutes, it all comes to an end,” said Tracy Moore, Daniel Calhoun’s presidential campaign manager.

First came Miss Auburn. 

“I was upset,” said Tyler Jorgensen, Maddie Sullivan’s campaign manager. “Not for my sake, but for Maddie’s.” 

Then, SGA treasurer. 

“We dropped our arms once Short’s name was called,” Bullington said. “I just hugged him. It was a hug of relief, a hug of friendship.” 

SGA vice president followed. 

“I basically collapsed,” said Cameron Veazey, Riley Hambrick’s campaign manager. “In that moment, it’s hard to pretend like you’re alright.”

And finally, SGA president. 

“Brooks handled it so humbly — like a real politician,” Garrison said. “I started crying. I was exhausted, and we had put everything into it.”

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According to Jorgensen, a campaign manager is a motivator, an activator and a friend. At its simplest, it’s the person “who does what needs to be done” as Moore put it, which includes bringing Taco Bell to the candidate’s aid or answering phone calls at 2 or 3 a.m.

“Your life becomes the life of the candidate,” Veazey said. 

Every day is planned, Garrison said. 

“What you’re handing out, where you’ll be, who’ll be there, the countless emails you send to people who probably never read them,” Garrison said.

Then come the rules, numbers, platform scripts, graphics, videos, keeping people engaged, creating the teams, confirming materials — the colors, signs, gimmicks — all having to stay under the $1,500 budget. 

“And you’re campaigning at all times, every day,” Moore said. “So even though you feel physically horrible, you have to put on a smile as often as you can since everything you do in that shirt reflects back on the campaign.” 

Campaign mornings began at 6 a.m. sharp, and the final push began at 5 a.m. on voting day. 

“You’re running on fumes and a lot of caffeine,” Garrison said. 

“I’d be lucky if I left my house in matching shoes,” Veazey said. 

Each night, Bullington found his head hitting his pillow at an hour prior to midnight. Sleep refused to come.

And there’s the bother of being a student. 

“Even in class, I was thinking I should be doing something campaign related,” Bullington said. 

And inevitably, problems arose.

The day before voting day, Bullington drove to Montgomery to pick up a sign, only to realize it was at the Auburn location. Garrison forgot to write No. 1 foam fingers on the materials list, the campaign’s very theme. Moore’s phone broke on kick-off morning.

“If you do your job well, you allow the candidate to shine, letting them fully focus on connecting with the student body, while you handle all the stress and details,” Moore said.

Campaigning wasn’t new for several of the managers. 

Garrison worked on Dane Block’s winning presidential campaign last year. Jorgensen had worked on four previous campaigns. Bullington has been on two Top 5 lists. 

Yet, the possibility of losing was also not novel. Moore ran for Miss Homecoming last year and placed second. Veazey’s sister ran for Miss Auburn last year and lost. 

“Campaigns can truly kill your soul and definitely discourage you,” Veazey said. “But if you can inspire one person, I see it as a win.”

Campaigning at Auburn can be challenging, particularly when voter turnout amasses to just about 40 percent of eligible students, very few attend the candidates’ debates and campaigning’s stigma of a name-recognition game often weighs heavy. 

For many students who aren’t involved with SGA, campaign week means matching T-shirts, slogan chanting and avoiding the concourse at all costs.

“I feel like a lot of times people don’t even know the candidates’ platforms and just vote based off who catches them first on voting day or because of cool graphics,” Veazey said. “I wish there was a way to better inform students on what and who they are voting on along with their platforms.”

Campaigning is showing that one really wants to make change at the University, Bullington said, who also said his constant motivation wasn’t the win but rather the candidate. 

“Sure, it’d be amazing to have sorority backing and 100-plus people ready to help whenever, but in reality, it didn’t work out that way, but it was still amazing to see the amount of Ahbi shirts out there,” Bullington said.

For the campaign managers, waking up at the crack of dawn, missing meals and losing voices was for more than a bound up the back steps of Cater to a tumultuous applause, though it would’ve helped. 

Ultimately, the campaign was a person with a new vision for Auburn.

“We each had a goal in our hearts that we all felt was worth fighting for,” Moore said. “Win or lose, that feeling is indescribable. I do believe in the long run, this is more than a loss. Auburn is in incredible hands heading into this next year.”


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