Building a Political Network That Lasts

A durable network is built on specific, low-cost asks. “Could I ask you fifteen minutes about how you moved from a district office to D.C.?” is easy to say yes to; “can you help me get a job” is not.

Follow up within a day, reference something concrete they said, and then stay in occasional, useful contact — sharing an article, congratulating a promotion. Relationships that only surface when you need something rarely produce references.

Keep a simple record of who you’ve met and when you last spoke. The staffers you meet as an intern are the chiefs of staff who hire you in five years.