I’ve know some low level elected officials, and I think an aspect there might (especially w/r/t mental health) be how crushing taking your role seriously can be. Most campaigns I volunteered on lost, and those that made it burnt out pretty quickly. It’s easier to do nothing and not care, and financially beneficial to do evil.

One campaign we lost because the candidate got outed as a lesbian. Any form of queer identity guarantees that you can only run for one party, and that party just doesn’t win.