Shifting the Dialogue

The 2010 mid-term elections are taking place today, but if Ross Rocketto (HNZ'11) and Heath Clayton (HNZ'11) have their way, political elections in the future will have a much different tone.

The creative force behind Running to Govern is a pair of public policy students, aiming to fundamentally change the political discourse surrounding elections.

The founding premise of their unique approach is that politics in the United States have become so polarized that elected officials are losing the ability to govern effectively.

The organization credits heated campaigns as a catalyst for the reduction in bipartisanship during recent years, which leads to a political environment that makes legislative successes difficult without large majorities.

Running to Govern hopes to shift away from a focus on what's best for the candidate and back to an emphasis on how problems can ultimately be solved through recruiting, training, and holding candidates accountable after they're elected.

"There is nothing wrong with politics and there is nothing wrong with ideology," Rocketto said. "What is wrong, however, is when politics and ideology turn legislating into a zero-sum game."

Running to Govern embodies Heinz College's multidisciplinary approach and quantitative focus.

"This organization isn't bipartisan, it's all-partisan," Rocketto explained. "I'm a progressive and Heath is a conservative. Our goal is to not only involve Democrats and Republicans, but to get independents, political inactives and everyone in-between involved as well."

He added, "All of this is done through statistical analysis of hard facts, so we can fully understand what's behind polling numbers and political trends."

While the organization is currently in its infancy, Running to Govern hopes to make its initial impact during the 2012 election cycle. A website launch is planned by year's end, and work has begun on pilot initiatives that include 2012 general assembly races in two key swing states.

Rocketto cites a social enterprise incubator class he took last year as being instrumental in providing the foundation necessary to start an organization like Running to Govern.

The Heinz College connection doesn't end there. Currently, three members of Running to Govern's Board of Advisors are Heinz College alumni.

When it comes to the measure of success, Rocketto is excited and optimistic.

"We will have been successful not if we start a third party, but if we are able to change the conversation within the current political system," he said. "Ultimately, the question we're attempting to address here isn't 'How do we get elected?' but rather 'How do we govern the country?'"