The Election Geek's $70,000 Problem

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A man who spent forty years making elections work is running for Congress with $70,000. The incumbent has $4.5 million. Full sourcing on our sources page.

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RECEIPTS (the sources behind this episode): • Home | Doug Chapin for Congress: https://www.chapinforcongress.com/ • chapinforcongress.com: https://www.chapinforcongress.com/media-press-kit • How Doug Chapin Can Win MN-06 in 2026 | The Political Group: https://www.thepoliticalgroup.com/underdog/minnesota/district-6 • Professor Doug Chapin | Election Law Program: https://www.electionlawprogram.org/people/professor-doug-chapin • About - electionline: https://electionline.org/about/ • Doug Chapin on affordability, health care and 2026 campaign - St. Cloud news,...: https://www.stcloudlive.com/news/local/doug-chapin-2026-campaign-sixth-district • Chapin challenges Emmer to represent District 6 in US House: https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/chapin-challenges-emmer-represent-district-101520508.html • Doug Chapin (D) — U.S. Representative, MN-06 | 2026 profile: https://candidatealerts.com/politicians/p_1tka0zmee • Update: Emmer, Chapin will face off for 6th District in November. - St. Cloud...: https://www.stcloudlive.com/news/minnesota/emmer-expected-to-win-gop-primary-in-a-landslide • MN-06 House race 2026 | Smarter.Vote: https://smarter.vote/races/mn-house-06-2026/ • Doug Chapin campaign desk Hanover 2026 (on screen at the open): https://delanoheraldjournal.com/articles/delanoheraldjournal/hanover-man-enters-race-for-congress-challenging-emmer • About | Doug Chapin for Congress (on screen at 2m49s): https://www.chapinforcongress.com/about • Doug Chapin becomes fourth-generation leader of Rock City on Lookout Mountain... (on screen at 2m49s): https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2022/feb/26/rock-city/ • Events — Doug Chapin for Congress (on screen at 3m35s): https://www.chapinforcongress.com/events • Doug Chapin receives dairy communication award (on screen at 3m35s): https://www.farmprogress.com/names-in-the-news/doug-chapin-receives-dairy-communication-award • Chapin faces tough campaign against Emmer in 6th District (on screen at 3m44s): https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/chapin-faces-tough-campaign-against-emmer-in-6th-district/ • Doug Chapin town hall 2026 March 25.jpg (on screen at 4m42s): https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_patriot/community/candidate-holds-town-hall-in-waconia/article_0bfd21b5-1adf-427f-a81c-fb3429694fc7.html • Doug Chapin: Ready to Rock - Georgia Magazine (on screen at 4m42s): https://news.uga.edu/doug-chapin-ready-to-rock/ • Wright County Map, Minnesota - US County Maps (on screen at 5m43s): https://uscountymaps.com/wright-county-map-minnesota/ • Minnesota election results: Rep. Tom Emmer wins reelection (on screen at 5m50s): https://www.fox9.com/election/minnesota-election-results-2024-cd6 • Tom Emmer - Wikipedia (on screen at 5m50s): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Emmer • Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer announces bid for House speaker nomination (on screen at 5m50s): https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/tom-emmer-house-speaker-nomination-jim-jordan-republicans-gop/ • Doug Chapin: 2026 Minnesota U.S. House Candidate Profile (on screen at 6m19s): https://www.predictionedge.com/elections/profile/doug-chapin/ • Richard Carlbom November 2025 (on screen at 6m43s): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Richard_Carlbom_November_2025.jpg • RichardCarlbom (on screen at 6m43s): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RichardCarlbom.jpg • Emmer from AP.jpg (on screen at 7m21s): https://www.hometownsource.com/abc_newspapers/abc_newspapers/community/andover/emmer-draws-two-gop-challengers-as-congressional-district-6-field-takes-shape/article_defbfd3d-50c8-4e14-b801-032fe3bfb6f3.html • House speaker hopeful Tom Emmer spoke to Trump to ease tensions as race to re... (on screen at 7m21s): https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2023/oct/23/republican-house-speaker-vote-candidates-latest-joe-biden-us-politics • How 50+1 designed our 2026 election forecast page (on screen at 8m11s): https://blog.fiftyplusone.news/p/how-501-designed-our-2026-election • Ice Skating, Lake George St. Cloud Minnesota January 2021 (on screen at 8m48s): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ice_Skating,_Lake_George_St._Cloud_Minnesota_January_2021.jpg • St. Anthony, Stearns County, Minnesota (on screen at 8m48s): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St._Anthony,_Stearns_County,_Minnesota.jpg

Short cuts

part · 98s

A man who spent forty years making elections work is running for Congress with seventy thousand dollars.

part · 106s

Start with the resume, because that is the pitch.

part · 137s

Doug Chapin had a plan for his life. Then came Inauguration Day, 2025.

part · 119s

The district he wants to represent stretches from the St. Cloud area down through the suburbs.

part · 171s

Here is the number that tells the story: $70,000 against $4.5 million.

aspire · 44s

I've spent my career improving elections. Now, I'm ready to fix Congress.

aspire · 40s

The election geek built the field's own training program.

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