If you want to make a difference in your community, one option to consider is running for office. Most cities and towns have many elected positions, from school board to city council to mayor, and any citizen over 18 years old can run. Once you're elected, you'll have the opportunity to help solve problems and make decisions to improve people's lives. Plus, you can consider running for higher offices, like state representative, governor, or even president! Of course, getting elected is usually not easy. Even local positions are highly competitive, and you'll need to be organized and hardworking to run a successful political campaign. Before you run, you should be prepared to raise money, give speeches, and have a well-thought-out plan about what you want to accomplish once elected. But the most important thing you can do is to get to know as many people as you can in your community, because your friends and neighbors may well become your greatest supporters. Which statement best summarizes two central ideas of the text?

A. More people should consider getting involved with local politics; the best way to get ahead in local politics is to get to know your neighbors.

B. If you want to be president, you should start by running in a local election; even a local election is not necessarily easy to win.

C. Running for office is a great way to get involved with local affairs; a lot of work and detail goes into a successful election campaign.

D. Politicians are usually motivated by the desire to help others; even with the best intentions, you might not win a political election.​