Cover Story: Know Your Mission, 
Grow Your Mission

As for the future, our expert says more candidates will have to get on board with social media and other Internet-based strategies to keep up with new contenders who are coming into the game with a second-nature understanding of those skills.

"I think we are going to see a slow, but certain, transition to a political fundraising model that utilizes social media and the Internet," he says. "So many campaigns still do not use these tools fully, and as we have new candidates who are more Internet-savvy, we'll see more.

"The road to success will continue to rely on harnessing these new tools to attract new donors by educating people on why financial support of politics is so important," he concludes, "creating a personal and direct relationship with supporters and offering new and easier avenues to get involved." FS