Cicero took the first oppertunity he could to become consul. There was a two year interval between his Praetorship and his consulship - This was because of Sulla's Reforms. After his praetorship ended in Dec 66BC he immediatly began planning his campaign for consul.
Cicero wrote a joking letter to Atticus about his opponents, from his tone we can infer that Cicero didn't think his competition was that tough. We also know that he spoke the truth to Atticus as Atticus acted as his 'advisor'. However, in his letter Hybrida and Catalina do stand out. Cicero had six rivals, he describes four of them as 'hopeless but respectable and dull'.
Optimate clique was dominated by Hortensious, Catulus and Lucullues. Cicero used the terms 'optimates' and 'populares' flexibly and had to tread carefully in his political stance so he needed to earn the support of the nobility. Cicero had lent towards populist causes in praetorship.
Cicero's campaign was tireless and preperations were thorough. He dispensed of a nomenclator and learnt to point out every house of everyone he knew across Rome and Italy, which he travelled all over, even visiting troops in Gaul when courts were quiet.
Cicero demonstrated to Optimates he could be trusted, and he looked after intrests of Senate and Equites.
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