The Day After an Election Lost

   Today is Wednesday, the day after the Primary in Maryland, in which I ran for Congress in the 8th District for the Republican side. I came in second with only 8854 votes, but that was good enough for second and actually more votes collected than 9 other candidates from either party collected for themselves. So part of me feels like I did okay for my very first venture into politics.

   I don't know that I would do it again, as much as it was an adventure to be involved in. I saw an opportunity because of the open seat created when our congressman decided to move up to Senator. He won the primary so he will have to work for the general election. I did not want to begin my political career bashing an incumbent. I wanted a very positive campaign. There are very few open seats in Congress. And once in there it's a 92% chance of returning for another term.

   One of the reasons I wanted to run was that I was sick of the gridlock in Congress. This group has one of the lowest approval ratings ever. It also has produced the fewest bills of any Congress going back to 1947 Post WW2. The squabbling and the gridlock brought the work of our government to a halt and I wanted to improve the situation with some pastoral counseling to get them to move beyond the gridlock. I know outsiders would do well, and a trusted outsider like a pastor might have a pretty good shot at it. My main opponent was a Freedom Caucus very conservative lawyer. He won. I thought the Tea Party enthusiasm had waned a bit since the gridlock was partially their doing. But there were 10,000 more of those folks in our district than the more moderate voter I appealed to.

   So I'm reflecting on what I learned over the past 3 months.

   Civic Duty and understanding of our responsibility in the political process is practically non-existent. We are angry, we complain and we stay home because we would rather voice our displeasure than try to do something. Our lessons on Democracy and the Republican hybrid government we have has been long forgotten.

   One of the reasons there is gridlock in Congress is that they don't know how to talk to each other and to compromise. But guess what, they do represent us. We don't know how to listen and talk to one another either. WE have lost all civility and ability to gain something from an opponent with a different opinion. I witnessed some really ugly confrontations because we seem to assume that if you don't agree with me completely you are a total idiot and ought to be shipped back to where ever you came from. No matter where you came from. I thought before I ran that we had more common sense and consideration for one another. I'm surprised that we don't, not nearly as much as I had hoped.

   One of the surprises from all of this is that I came in second. I spent a little under $3,000. Some signs, some permits, some phone calls to our constituency, some brochures to hand out. I was in every Voter Guide, attended every debate and forum during my run for Congress. I filmed two public service commercials, as did the other #2. The other party #2 guy, spent $12 million of his own money for a number two spot. I feel so much better. More money on my part would not have won this side either.

   One of the gifts of this race, was the people I met. For a brief moment, I was kind of a celebrity. Introduced in varous places as an important person. Met some great people, including Gov. John Kasich who is running against Trump. I shook his hand, introduced myself as a candidate for Congress, and he wished me good luck. Neither of us did that well. But I really appreciate his efforts at the Presidential level.

   So what's next? I don't know. This blog will give me a chance to reflect on my discoveries and that might lead up to something. It has for others, it might for me.

   I know I need to pray a lot about how I use this moment in the overall scheme of things. I've always been a "Not my Will, but Thine be done" type of guy. Now I will pray to sense how my feelings about the reason I ran might lead to something more, in that same spirit of "God what would you have me do now?"

   I must thank my wife Elaine for incredible patience in this past three months. Her help was great. I must thank Mike Haney and Carole Oursler, my campaign director and my campaign treasurer for their continue presence and support. I must thank the volunteers who helped. I must thank my family for their continued support. I must thank the ones who voted for me. I thank God too, for the opportunity to care enough about our country to want to make it better. I still do.

   Blessings on all of you. I'll write again real soon.

Pastor Jeff