I work for political campaigns. Some never pay me. And I’m not alone.

Jason Ross is the founder and owner of Hockomock Digital in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

In 2024, I was left waiting months for a political campaign to pay me more than $20,000 for services I’d already delivered. The campaign lost, the money dried up, and suddenly my calls weren’t being returned. It wasn’t my first campaign, and unfortunately, it wasn’t the first time I’d seen this happen.

I want to be clear: I am blessed with an overwhelming majority of clients who do right by me. Almost all the campaigns I’ve worked with — providing advice, management and digital advertising services — have honored their commitments without issue, and I’m deeply grateful for that support. But the few who ignore contracts or delay payment undermine not only their vendors but also the trust their can