Campaign Toolkit
Democratic Creed Edition
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This toolkit is a guide to help campaigns think clearly about how to connect voters’ concerns to the values that guide our work as Democrats.
It is not a step-by-step instruction manual, and it is not a script to memorize. The examples in these pages are illustrations of how values can shape conversations. They show how listening carefully, speaking honestly, and acting consistently can build trust and confidence with voters. Every community is different, and every campaign has its own voice. We encourage you to adapt these ideas, refine them, and make them your own.
Our goal is simple: to help campaigns listen well, respond thoughtfully, and demonstrate through their actions that our values are real. When voters can see those values at work, conversations become more productive, relationships grow stronger, and confidence in leadership increases.
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Campaigns are built on conversations. Voters share their concerns about the cost of living, the quality of schools, access to healthcare, and the future of their communities. The most effective campaigns listen carefully — and then respond in ways that connect those real-world concerns to the values which define who we are as Democrats. The Democratic Creed expresses those values clearly: freedom, justice, equality, opportunity, democracy, and the responsibility of government to help people live better lives.
Integrating these values into campaign messaging helps voters see not only what we propose to do, but why we do it. Trust grows when people understand that our actions are guided by principles. Confidence grows when they can see those principles put into practice. That is why Democrats strive to believe first, then act — and to let voters judge us by what we do.
This toolkit provides practical examples of how to connect everyday concerns to the values of the Democratic Creed. Each example begins with a voter’s concern — the kind of statement you might hear at the door, on the phone, or at a community meeting — followed by a values-forward response that shows how Democratic beliefs lead to concrete action. These examples are not scripts to memorize. They are ideas to adapt, refine, and express in your own voice.
When we link problems to values, we are naturally led to actions that solve those problems in ways people recognize as fair, responsible, and consistent with the promise of America. That is how campaigns build trust, leaders earn confidence, and voters come to see our values not just in our words, but in our work.
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Use these examples as building blocks, not scripts.
You may encounter these moments:
● at the door while canvassing
● during a phone call or text conversation
● in a town hall or community meeting
● in a social media post
● in a letter to the editor
● in campaign literature or advertising
Each example follows a simple pattern:
Concern → Values → Action → Result
➢ Listen first.
➢ Connect the concern to shared values.
➢ Say what Democrats do because of these values.
➢ Show how people can see the results.
Adapt the language to your own voice and your own community. The goal is not to repeat the same words — it is to demonstrate the same values.
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This toolkit is only a beginning. The ideas in these pages are meant to be used — in conversations at the door, in phone calls and text messages, in community meetings, and in the messages you share with voters every day. The more often these values are expressed in clear, practical ways, the more familiar and trusted they will become.
Remember that voters are not just listening to what we say — they’re watching how we act. They are watching to see if our decisions reflect our beliefs. When we connect real concerns to shared values and take action to address them, people gain confidence that our words mean something — and that our promises can be trusted.
Use these examples as starting points. Adapt them to your community. Speak in your own voice. Show how your campaign’s work reflects the values of freedom, justice, equality, opportunity, and democracy. When voters see those values guiding your actions, their trust in you grows — and confidence follows.
As you put these ideas into practice, share what you learn. Tell us what works, what resonates, and what questions voters are asking. Together, we can continue building a campaign culture where values lead to action, action leads to results, and results strengthen the trust that holds our democracy together.
That is how we live the Democratic Creed.
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We exist to help make America’s democratic values—Freedom, Justice, and Opportunity—real in people’s everyday lives.
Our purpose is to help make sure Freedom, Justice, and Opportunity aren’t just ideas we talk about but things people can actually count on in their daily lives.
Our vision is the country we’re trying to build over time. A just society where everyone is treated fairly, where freedoms are protected for everyone equally, and where opportunity isn’t reserved for a few but open to all. One that protects the Freedom, Justice, and Opportunity of every person equally.
We inspire Democrats and voters to live up to the values in the Democratic Creed.
Our mission is about action. We work to remind the Democratic Party—its leaders, candidates, and members—what we stand for and to hold ourselves accountable to those values.
And just as important, we help voters recognize which candidates and parties are truly committed to living up to the Democratic Creed, so elections become about values, not just personalities or slogans.
Our values are clearly stated in the Democratic Creed. It’s our shared promise about what America stands for and what democracy owes its people. We use it as a compass—for decision-making, for accountability, and for judging whether our actions match our words.
We commit to using the Democratic Creed as a standard, not a slogan.
Our commitment is to apply the Democratic Creed as an operational standard, not a symbolic statement. We commit to using the Democratic Creed to guide decisions, shape priorities, evaluate actions, and measure accountability—both within our organizations and in the leaders and candidates we support.
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Click to download the Campaign Toolkit in PDF
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