By Cliff Maloney
By now, you’ve probably seen the headlines about Pennsylvania’s decision not to officially participate in the celebration of America’s 250th birthday at the Great American State Fair.
The story quickly spread beyond Pennsylvania, drawing criticism from people across the political spectrum and prompting the state’s two U.S. senators to step in to help ensure the Commonwealth would still be represented.
Whether you agreed with the governor’s decision or not almost misses the point. What matters is that one governor had the authority to make a decision that reflected on an entire state and became national news overnight.
That’s a reminder many conservatives need to hear.
We spend a tremendous amount of time talking about presidential elections and congressional races. Those elections matter. They deserve our attention. But if we ignore everything happening below the federal level, we’re leaving some of the most important offices in America to people who don’t share our values.
Politics doesn’t start in Washington — it starts in your own hometown.
Local officials have more influence than most voters realize
Most Americans can name the president. Many can name their governor. Far fewer know who serves on their city council, county commission, school board, or township board.
That’s a problem.
- Governors oversee massive state agencies, appoint judges and department leaders, sign or veto legislation, and help set the direction of their states for years.
- Mayors shape public safety, economic development, and the quality of life in their communities.
- County officials oversee elections, budgets, and essential public services.
- School boards make decisions that affect what children — future voters — learn every single day.
These aren’t symbolic positions. They have real authority over the policies that shape everyday life.
When conservatives overlook these races, we shouldn’t be surprised when decisions are made that don’t reflect our priorities. But that’s exactly what Republicans keep doing, election after election.
The Pennsylvania story is simply the latest example of why every office matters.
America First begins at home
The America First movement isn’t just about who occupies the White House. It’s about putting leaders in office who believe America is worth protecting, our history is worth celebrating, our communities deserve to be safe, parents deserve a voice, and taxpayers deserve responsible government.
Those principles don’t suddenly appear once someone reaches Congress. They have to be practiced at every level of government.
If we want governors who stand up for our values, we have to elect them, support them, and hold them accountable.
If we want mayors who support law enforcement and economic growth, we have to elect them.
If we want school boards that respect parents, we have to elect them.
If we want county officials who protect election integrity, we have to elect them.
Beyond that, we also have to support them and hold them accountable.
Winning one presidential election every four years isn’t enough if we continue losing the offices that directly affect people’s daily lives.
Winning takes more than showing up on Election Day
One of the biggest mistakes conservatives make is treating politics like a seasonal activity. People get energized during presidential elections. They volunteer for a few months, cast their vote, and then disappear until the next big race.
The Left doesn’t operate that way. They recruit candidates years in advance. They build volunteer networks. They train activists. They organize neighborhoods. They stay engaged long after the television cameras leave.
That’s how they win races most people never hear about. Those victories add up.
One school board seat becomes a majority.
One city council race changes local policy.
One county office affects election administration.
One governor’s race influences an entire state.
None of that happens by accident. It happens because someone was willing to organize.
Organization is how we build lasting victories
That’s the central message of my book, Run Right.
Too many people think political change starts with a viral post, a clever slogan, or a great speech.
It doesn’t.
Political change starts when ordinary citizens decide they’re willing to do the work. That means recruiting candidates instead of waiting for someone else to run. It means knocking on doors instead of complaining online. It means building neighborhood teams, supporting local campaigns, and staying involved after the election is over.
Campaigns come and go. Organizations endure.
When conservatives build strong organizations in their communities, they don’t just win one election. They create a foundation that can keep producing candidates, volunteers, and leaders for years to come.
That’s how real movements grow.
We can’t afford to ignore the races no one is watching
Every election cycle, millions of dollars are spent on high-profile races while countless local offices receive little attention. Many of these elections are decided by a few hundred votes — some are decided by only a handful.
Those offices often have more direct influence over your daily life than the politicians who dominate cable news. The people making decisions about your schools, your taxes, your roads, your elections, and your local economy usually aren’t members of Congress — they’re your neighbors.
If conservatives want America First policies to become the norm instead of the exception, we have to compete everywhere.
Not just in hometowns and home states.
Not just in election years.
Everywhere.
The future will be decided one community at a time
The lesson from Pennsylvania isn’t that one governor made a controversial decision. The lesson is that elections have consequences long after the campaign ends. Every office matters because every office carries real authority.
That’s why Citizens Alliance invests so much time in identifying candidates, training grassroots leaders, and helping conservatives build organizations that last beyond a single election cycle.
The future of the country won’t be determined only by who wins the presidency. It will be determined by who serves on school boards, county commissions, city councils, state legislatures, and in governors’ offices across America.
If we want America First policies in Washington tomorrow, we have to elect America First leaders in our hometowns today.
That’s how lasting change happens.
One community.
One campaign.
One election at a time.
Cliff Maloney is the CEO of Citizens Alliance. You can follow him @maloney on X.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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