Against the Grain II
What’s next for unsuccessful campaigners?
During campaign season, I heard several candidates saying over and over that they had a passion for this and a passion for that. Often, I heard them say they had a passion for kids and helping to prepare them for the future. Others said they had a passion for prosperity on the south side of town. Still others said they wanted to help development in other areas.
Every one of these folks spent countless hours, days and months trying to convince us that they were the ones for the job they campaigned for. Often, they talked about how they had a plan to get things done.
My question is “What’s next?”
When you are passionate about something, you would do it for free. How many will continue to help or continue to reach out even without the desired position? That will determine if folks really had a passion for kids, families and the south side or a passion for being elected to a position.
I can tell you that the services of every one of those individuals are needed. One of the core vehicles of a healthy community is volunteerism. Often the most passionate of volunteers go unnoticed or without fanfare. When publicity isn’t the motive, anonymity is a product of silent and effective dedication.
It will be simple to determine if the words of said individuals were truly about a passion or just campaign rhetoric about a position.
As we watched in amazement as the state of Georgia was flipped by President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, a prime example of a woman with a passion was exposed to the world.
Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams vowed to be on a mission following a controversial election in which she lost by what many are describing as a process injected with politics that resulted in a skewed outcome. From that outcome, Abrams vowed to fight to ensure that never again in the state of Georgia, would there be disenfranchisement to the level that was prevalent in her run for the state’s highest office.
Even here in Tallahassee, we heard advertisements of Abrams inviting out citizens in the southern-most cities in Georgia. These cities were not very populous, but nonetheless, she visited. The campaign was the very definition of grass roots. In the end, the initiative greatly enhanced voter awareness, voter registration and voter participation.
That is the definition of true passion.
Just like every other race, many of those who entered the races will crawl back under the rock from whence they came. We won’t hear from them until they are ready to run again, but yet they want our votes. It’s one of the most ironic processes known to man.
We’ll keep our eyes open for those willing to be genuine public servants. Many will continue to work without much fanfare, but with a desire for better outcomes for all those for whom they have a passion to help.
