1A 'If You Can Keep It': The Former Feds Running For Office
Dec 1, 2025
Allison Erickson, a former USAID humanitarian programs manager now running for Montgomery County Council, shares her journey from federal service to local politics after being fired. She highlights her desire to help communities directly. Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something, discusses the surge of former federal workers entering politics and the importance of translating their experiences into voter-focused messages. Michael Duffin, a former State Department advisor, reflects on his layoff, motivation to run for Congress, and the accountability challenges faced by ex-feds.
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Humanitarian Work Became Personal Identity
- Allison Erickson described deploying to disaster zones and bonding closely with coworkers while managing humanitarian programs at USAID.
- She said that experience made her identity tightly tied to her work and community service.
Abrupt Cutoffs Revealed Firings
- Allison recounted being abruptly cut off from email and phones and initially thinking they'd been hacked during the firings at USAID.
- She described a week of confusion that revealed targeted firings of DEI and other staff before broader cuts occurred.
Local Office Can Act Faster Than Federal Agencies
- Allison said local government is closer to people and quicker to act than national agencies with heavy red tape.
- She argued that local officeholders will feel federal program closures first and can often respond faster.
