1. “I’m running a grass-roots campaign.” This translates to: “I’m not going to raise any money.” Running an effective grass-roots and get-out-the-vote operation is important for a campaign, but winning a competitive House or Senate race requires multiple millions of dollars to make your case in paid advertising.

Most Americans know the dynasties of politics: Adams, Kennedy, Roosevelt, Bush, Rockefeller. But Congress is filled with less-known political families, some that have persisted for generations.

In many ways, Cherfilus-McCormick’s ads resemble the hundreds of ads that air in races across the country every year. There’s upbeat music, b-roll of smiling families, and a member of Congress explaining what she’s accomplished while in office. But these aren’t actually campaign ads. They’re commercials produced and paid for by Cherfilus-McCormick’s taxpayer-funded congressional office, not her campaign committee.