10. You never know what candidate events will bring. In South Carolina, we sent two ONE members to the Lowcountry Sportsmen Barbecue for Newt Gingrich. We didn’t know what a “lowcountry sportsman” was, but we took a leap of faith and sent Kate and Adrienne out to talk with Speaker Gingrich about extreme poverty-fighting. And it was well worth it, as the ladies had an opportunity to speak with Gingrich directly.

9. Having a little fun along the way. We decided to attend comedian Stephen Colbert-Herman Cain rally. There were thousands of folks in attendance and Stephen Colbert’s grand entrance involved a two marching bands and a full chorus singing “This Little Light of Mine.”

8. Is it socially acceptable for adults to wear matching outfits? Well, when you’re on the ONE Campaign trail it is! For three days, our team traveled in packs, all wearing the same ONE Logo T-shirts.

7. You never know who you will meet on the campaign trail! Jim Duggar, the father of TLC’s show, “19 Kids and Counting” came to South Carolina for Rick Santorum. Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty who was out stumping for Mitt Romney. And at a Newt Gingrich event I had the fortune to meet Colonel Michael Steele, Company Commander of the US Army Ranger company portrayed in the book and film Black Hawk Down.

6. Debate-a-palooza! We headed to the CNN Debate in Charleston on Thursday the 19th to see what this installment would bring. I was able to talk to Donna Brazzille about ONE as she put on a white ONE band, and after the debate, ONE supporters ran into Representative Tim Scott at McDonald’s and were able to talk to the congressman about the fight against extreme poverty while he waited for his order!

5. Lending a helping hand (and umbrella)! While life on the campaign trail is busy and hectic, Election Day is a bit slower because there are not as many events and activities. So, we decided to give out coffee to voters as they headed to the polls. At a precinct in Chapin, it started pouring down rain — so, in addition to giving out coffee, we had some extra umbrellas so we were providing some cover for folks as they walked from their cars to the voting station. It made it on the cover of the Washington Post!

4. Sleep Deprivation: Well it turns out there is no makeup in the world that can cover a 4 a.m. wake up call, And three days of 4 a.m. wake up calls make you downright maniacal! Life on the ONE trail starts early, but at least you don’t have to spend a lot of time figuring out what to wear since you wear your ONE T-shirt every day!

3. Halloween in January? You wouldn’t believe the number of grown adults that wear costumes and make very interesting clothing choices out on the campaign trail. I’ve seen pigs dancing in convertibles, what I can only describe as a homemade Mr. America costume, and fake Sarah Palin.

2. Amazing Southern food: Well the cuisine of South Carolina speaks directly to my Kentucky heart! Don’t judge me for having shrimp and grits three times in three days.

1. Watching volunteers get a chance to support ONE with their members of Congress, the media and be on TV all at the same time! The cast of “Morning Joe” were filming live from Charleston in the days leading up to the primary. Latwyla, a ONE volunteer from Columbia, was able to meet the cast of Morning Joe and talk about ONE with the Representative Jim Clyburn.

Whew, our First in the South primaries sure have caused a little shakeup.

Now that the votes are in and the candidates are moving to the Sunshine State, I took a moment to reflect on what I thought was a rather exciting moment. While talking to the candidates and surrogates about the importance of development aid has been crucial, I think my favorite part of this cycle is educating the voters around me in the crowds about foreign aid.

The most recent experience happened just this past weekend. I went to see Speaker Newt Gingrich accept endorsements from former Governor Perry supporters.

While at the event, I met this wonderful lady, Martha. Martha was from Texas, a Perry supporter, and was interested to see Gingrich. While we were waiting for the speakers to get on stage, I explained ONE to her, and she said she’d love to visit the website to learn more.

On Primary Day when we delivered coffee to the Romney Headquarters, I saw Martha again. She remembered our conversation from the night before and was excited to tell me she visited the website. “I think I signed up with my email address,” she explained.

While never knowing who she was supporting now (from Perry to Gingrich to working a Romney phone) it helped me see how no matter who we support, we all want to help end the most extreme cases of poverty and eradicate diseases that are preventable.

As we head to Florida for an exciting week of megastate primaries, I’m excited to see if I meet another Martha and help them join our cause.

Follow Zach at @ZachLamb on Twitter.

-Zach Lamb, ONE Vote organizer

The campaign trail is an exciting place to work, especially when you are out talking about the fight against extreme poverty with voters, campaigns, and candidates. It is an immensely rewarding experience, though on some days, plenty of coffee is needed to make it through!

1. The alarm buzzes too early sometimes, but when you have a chance to get your ONE shirt on TV, sometimes you have to wake up before the chickens.

2. And it’s worth it when you get to be behind the scenes on a show like “Morning Joe”

3. Especially when guests like the one and only Stephen Colbert are on the show!

4. You are always looking for a chance to talk with people, and photo Ops are great too! Me and ONE staffer Kim Smith with Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski:

5. You might run into press conferences with Tony Perkins from the Family Research Council and get to talk with him about ONE…

6. Or you might see a former presidential candidate’s tour bus.

7. You’ve always got to be ready to talk to candidates and elected officials, like the Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley

8. Patience is the name of the game, waiting in line is always a good time to chat with folks, and of course check up on the Twitter feed

9. You never know when and where a candidate might arrive, but it is fun to camp out with folks while you wait.

10. You meet some unexpected folks, like Jim Bob Duggar stumping for Rick Santorum.

11. Sometimes the toughest choices aren’t political. Don’t forget to eat in all of the excitement!

12. After a long day it’s always worth it when you know you got to show the candidates that ONE members across the country care about these issues.

13. And sometimes the work can get you into some cool places.

When you finally make it home exhausted you know you may dread how early the alarm clock might buzz in the morning, but you know that when it does, you will be back out there making a difference for people around the world.

Keep up with Charlie’s adventures by following @Charlie_at_ONE on Twitter.

-Charlie Harris, ONE Vote 2012 Organizer, South Carolina

Monday, we went to the convention center, where the debate was to be held that night, and spent the time talking with campaign staff and South Carolina elected officials before the big night. We ran into several of our great ONE Vote 2012 ambassadors, including Representative Joe Wilson, who is always so helpful and kind to ONE members here. We also spoke to Senator Lindsey Graham who was fresh off his congressional delegation trip to Africa. We had a great time being a part of the political process at the debate.

Then on Tuesday, ONE was able to be a part of an event with the US Global Leadership Coalition, where ONE Vote 2012 Co-chair Governor Mike Huckabee was the featured speaker. We also had a chance to speak to Speaker Newt Gingrich who addressed the crowd for a few minutes. Governor Huckabee spoke on the importance of smart investments in foreign assistance programs and all of the benefits that it brings to American security and the economy. We have a great voice in Governor Huckabee as a passionate advocate for these programs who has seen American programs working on the ground in Africa.

We have been having a great week here in South Carolina making sure the candidates know how important these issues are and that Americans care about them. More updates from the trail soon!

-Charlie Harris, South Carolina field organizer, ONE Vote 2012. Follow him on Twitter at @Charlie_at_ONE

We’ve kicked off the First in the South primary season here in South Carolina. With warm 70 degree January weather, the campaigns are shedding their New Hampshire coats and really heating up the campaign trail.

Down in the Lowcountry, I was able to engage Governors Jon Huntsman and Rick Perry and Senator Rick Santorum on supporting development programs that help end diseases and get clean water systems to those who desperately need it.

Governor Huntsman was excited to talk with me about the economic importance to helping end diseases like malaria and polio. He understands the importance to help the world’s poor so they can flourish and become consumers of American products.

Governor Perry was excited and gave me a big Texas greeting as he loves seeing the “ONEsters.” He said he loved how ONE has engaged him in Iowa (s/o to ONE Vote organizers Libby, Amanda and Lauren), and here in South Carolina he vowed to fight for vaccines for children.

Senator Santorum held a town hall late Thursday evening, and an audience member asked him about continued funding to fight AIDS through PEPFAR and finding a cure. Santorum responded “I will look at everything in my executive power to be pro-life for everyone in the world” who needs help from disease. After the event, when I spoke to Santorum he exclaimed to me, “I heard about the end of polio in India, how great!”

The candidates are still criss-crossing the state to BBQ joints and meat-and-threes, but we have great advocates in most of the candidates here in First in the South. We will keep y’all posted as we try to keep up!

A day after Governor Nikki Haley endorsed Gov. Mitt Romney on national television, both participated in Congressman Tim Scott’s Townhall series on Saturday in Charleston.

ONE volunteer Caleb attended the townhall Saturday morning, where more than 300 people turned out to hear Gov. Romney speak about the issues leading up to the primaries.

Caleb was able to speak with Gov. Romney, and encouraged him to support foreign aid through these tough economic times, citing how initiatives like PEPFAR and PMI have helped save millions of lives and are fostering future markets for American goods.

Caleb says Gov. Romney was very responsive to these issues, and acknowledged the friendly encounters with all ONE volunteers across Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

We are glad Gov. Romney understands that South Carolinians care about helping to end extreme poverty and disease around the world. As things calm down in South Carolina before the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries, we know the candidates are becoming more aware and more receptive to being ONE voice in this humanitarian and national security battle for our global economy.

As we get closer to the South Carolina primaries, the candidates are flocking here for a little sunshine and warmth.

Last weekend, Gov. Jon Huntsman attended the Berkeley County GOP breakfast down in Charleston, and I was able to talk with him at length about the economic impact foreign aid will have for American jobs.

He was very engaged, understanding the importance of aid for life-saving drugs for HIV/AIDS, polio and malaria.

He even agreed that with these life-saving drugs comes a new market for American companies to export their goods as the world’s poor come out of poverty and have a better future.

Sunday afternoon in North Myrtle Beach, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann was on her book signing tour, and I talked to her as she inscribed her John Hancock into a copy of her novel.

I encouraged her to vote for the upcoming conference bill for Foreign Operations in the House, and also reminder her as a presidential candidate that sustaining programs like PEPFAR was crucial to maintaining our own national security. She’s been happy to see ONE volunteers in South Carolina, and expressed great concern in helping those with life-threatening illnesses, and lauded Sen. Marco Rubio for his efforts in the Senate on these efforts.

With only 46 days left until the South Carolina Presidential Preference Primary, candidates are starting to invest more time in our message and really understanding the importance of life-saving measures that help the world’s most impoverished people.

This week, ONE’s South Carolina team attended the US Global Leadership Council’s (USGLC) dinner and forum on protecting development and foreign assistance at the Citadel. Field Organizer Charlie, Congressional District Leader Caitlin, super volunteer Hannah, and I listened to Senator Lindsey Graham stress the dangers of making foreign assistance the scapegoat of deficit reduction. He then made the case for smart, results-oriented programs that help save millions of lives and help keep America competitive in a global economy.

After Senator Graham spoke, there was a panel discussion which included General James Cartwright, former vice chair to the joint chiefs, and several diplomatic, business focused, and religious focused speakers. Marco Cavazzoni, vice president of Boeing Charleston, facilitated the conversation around how life-saving programs through USAID demonstrate core American values around the globe, promote our national security and create jobs here in South Carolina and around the country.

Everyone in the room understood the importance of foreign assistance and its success in helping keep America safe and prosperous. On behalf of Team SC, we want to thank Jack McLaughlin and all the USGLC staff in putting on a stellar event, and we look to moving forward together to help end global poverty and preventable disease around the world.

-Zach Lamb, ONE Vote organizer

The ONE delegation on the stage at the Wofford Debate: Zach, Charlie, Caitlin and Hannah.

ONE Members Hannah and Charlie with Presidential Candidate Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and South Carolina ONE Vote Ambassador, Congressman Joe Wilson.

Before the big night on Saturday, candidates were all over the state, and we got a chance to talk with them about prioritizing the cost-effective and life-saving programs that ONE works to advance — it’s in our national security interest and is sound foreign policy.

Our newest ONE Member, Hannah, talks to Texas Governor Rick Perry at the Columbia Veteran’s Day Parade

Hannah, Charlie and Caitlin meet with Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista at their campaign office opening in Greenville.

Charlie with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in Columbia, SC on Tuesday after the debate.

We spoke to Rep. Michele Bachmann in Charleston and then again in Columbia at the Veterans Day parade along with Rep. Joe Wilson, one of our ONE Vote 2012 ambassadors. We also caught up with Gov. Rick Perry at the parade. ONE members also took to the upstate, engaging Gov. Mitt Romney and Speaker Newt Gingrich at events in the lead up to Saturday night at Wofford.

But the main event came when the candidates filed into the debate hall on Wofford’s campus. The debate covered the many complex issues that a would-be president would have to deal with in the foreign policy arena, including US foreign assistance. There was a lot of talk of working to make sure foreign policy dollars are spent wisely, which I think we can all agree on. What troubled me was that there was no clear designation between general foreign assistance, talking about aid to countries like Pakistan, and programs such as PEPFAR and other life-saving programs in other developing countries around the world.

As we look to the next foreign policy debate on Tuesday, November 22 in Washington, DC, let’s push these candidates to recognize the power of smart development assistance as solutions that save millions of lives, build a more stable world, and are a part of a proud American legacy. Let’s encourage the candidates to have a conversation with the American people about all these benefits for less than 1 percent of the US budget.

Take action now by sending a message to the presidential candidates here.

-Charlie Harris, South Carolina Field Organizer, ONE Vote 2012

On Thursday afternoon, Rep. Michele Bachmann laid out her foreign policy plan to a crowd of veterans and supporters on the USS Yorktown in Charleston, South Carolina.

Though her speech was at one point interrupted by a group of protesters, she laid out her plan for foreign aid, security strategy and leading America into the 21st century.

Rep. Bachmann was excited to speak with me after the speech about the importance of foreign aid for development and providing vaccines for preventable diseases like polio and measles. While she didn’t address development aid in her speech, she told me that she stands with many of ONE’s policies to help the world’s poor overcome extreme problems, and to bolster America’s image abroad and protect our citizens.

As the Palmetto State gears up for a number of candidate engagements in the run up to Saturday night’s foreign policy debate at Wofford College, there is definitely no “oops” about the importance of foreign aid and the good it can do in alleviating extreme poverty and making America a safer place.

-Zach Lamb, ONE member, South Carolina