I’m checking in a little bit late for my internship’s midpoint. Everything moves so fast on a campaign and you really have to jump in with both feet, so it was difficult to determine when to best write this post.

My learning goals have been progressing really well. All of the field organizers are really great and I’ve learned a lot about the diverse paths that led them to campaign work. They’re all recent graduates so they’re great to turn to for advice on college. My telephone skills have improved dramatically because I make around 150 phone calls every day. I’ve learned to deal with almost any situation. I’ve also learned a lot about Senator Warner’s views and stances. This past Saturday at the Hanover Tomato Festival, I had the opportunity to interact with the (largely Republican) constituency and there were many lively discussions between the attendees and the Hanover Democratic Committee. I’ve gained a lot of experience with events, most importantly the Richmond field office opening for the campaign. Senator Warner and Senator Tim Kaine were there as well as other important Virginia Democrats. It was exciting to see the office go from drab and empty to being filled with people and enthusiasm.

One way I was able to see my growth on the campaign was the day my supervisor went out of town and he trusted me to help guide a high school age intern through canvassing and data entry. Another proud moment was when he said the interns had to slow down on our calls because we were making the full time employees look bad.

This internship is a really exciting opportunity for many different reasons. I’m definitely building my people skills and learning a lot about campaigning. Another fun aspect is the networking! I’ve been able to meet many important Virginia politicians and their staff.

I’m sad that my internship is winding down, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the last part progresses.