Just like in the real world, running a successful campaign for office requires a fair amount of money and a little bit of luck. There's a recommended amount you should have for each political position before running, as you have to fund your campaigns yourself.

If you plan to run for the school board, it's recommended you have at least $20,000 saved to spend on your campaign. For a mayoral run, a player should have $200,000.

A campaign for governor will easily cost you $500,000, while a presidential campaign will cost upward of $1 million. This is why it's recommended you attend law school and become a lawyer before pursuing your runs for office, since that's an easy way in the game to accumulate money.

You can take time off in between political positions to save money if necessary, but note that if you take too much time off, you might lose your fame and be unable to run a successful campaign.

Even with the appropriate funds, these campaigns are still partially dependent on luck. Even if you feel as though you made all of the correct decisions while running, it's possible that you might not win the election. You can always try again if you fail or begin again by creating a new character.