| If you're a new candidate running a political | | | | by a competent political campaign. If your |
| campaign for office against an incumbent, you | | | | opponent is one who can be picked off, it will |
| might realize something while you are pouring | | | | show in the election statistics. They will show you |
| over past election statistics and voter lists: that | | | | exactly where and how you can do it. If there is |
| your opponent is a politician who may be | | | | an open seat with no incumbent, and you're |
| unbeatable. | | | | looking for the edge, the election statistics will |
| There are many competent, popular and | | | | show you where it can be found. |
| experienced politicians who know how to win | | | | Reviewing election statistics is a subjective kind of |
| election campaigns. Your analysis may show you | | | | analysis, of course, and whether or not you win is |
| that you can't win. This, too, is worth knowing | | | | often a very iffy question. Realistically, your |
| because you don't want to get into a campaign | | | | analysis is most likely to indicate that you might |
| against a politician who you can't beat. | | | | have a chance at winning your campaign against |
| If the votes aren't there, they aren't there. If you | | | | an incumbent politician, might be able to reach that |
| have to rely on the "heart attack strategy," | | | | magic number if everything goes right. |
| where your only chance of winning depends on | | | | It won't go all go right in your political campaign, |
| your opponent dying of a heart attack, then | | | | but even at that, if your analysis leads you to |
| perhaps you shouldn't file petitions to run a political | | | | believe that you might win, then you should go |
| campaign. | | | | for it. The election statistics will tell you what it |
| There are, on the other hand, many politicians | | | | takes to win, what the target number is, and |
| who are jerks and who can be easily picked off | | | | where those votes are. |