By Jeff Davidson,
I attend monthly meetings of various Republican and Conservative groups around Raleigh, North Carolina, and am impressed by those individuals who have the guts to run for public office. In this day and age, that cannot be a pretty process especially for a Conservative.
Becoming an Instant Target
Consider that everything you’ve ever done personally or professionally now, potentially, becomes ammunition to use against you. If you did something stupid when you were 18 and record of it exists somewhere, or the opposition can find someone who recalls what you did, instantly the information comes hurtling into the present. And, if you did something brilliant in your career, it can be contorted by the opposition in the quest to make you look bad.
If you have a family, your spouse and your children, not to mention your friends and neighbors, could suddenly become targets by those who want to gain ‘insight’ into your ‘true nature’ or, more likely, find dirt on you. Your academic record in high school or college, first job, and business record will likely be put under the microscope. This is all before we’re even talking about your stance on various issues.
Actually, the opposition often doesn’t care much about your stance on issues, even if your views are sound, logical, well thought out, and would benefit the great masses of your constituents. They will find some chink in your logic. They will take what you said and twist it and turn it. Whatever can be grabbed out of context will be presented to the Leftist media, which dominates across the land.
No Fair Shake
You might think you’d get a fair shake by calmly and articulately airing your views on crucial topics of the day. Nothing could be further from reality. The groups to whom you speak could well be supportive, and so you gain a false notion of security or comfort. Outside of a sheltered arena, however, you are an instant target.
If you advocate for voter integrity, you’re labeled as someone who advocates for voter suppression. If you advocate equal rights for all, your words will be pounced upon and made to seem as if you advocate for special rights for special, unapproved groups – the rich, pro-life advocates, parents concerned about what their children are being taught, and white people in general.
Fundraising is a fundamental component of running for office. When you seek campaign contribution from others, additional issues often rise which the opposition and the capitulating press are eager to exploit. Happily, at least locally, fundraising on a grassroots level can work and many candidates have been sustained by a bevy of small donations.
Intentional Misinterpretation
You likely cannot think a single issue that will not be intentionally misinterpreted or misrepresented and then magnified via the Leftist press.
Considering all of the above, I admire those who run for office, who put themselves on the line, who decide to take a stand, and who have the courage to steel themselves all through the campaign, ‘til election day.
In America today, where every issue in every locale is hotly contested, running for public office is likely to be arduous. Determined candidates, especially first-timers, need to fortify personal resilience. The same is likely for your staff, your family, and your key advocates and supporters.
One might ask, why am I, personally, not putting myself out there? I don’t suffer fools gladly. I might start in with somebody in my audience who is seeking to heckle me, or with the reporter who is blatantly misrepresenting my view. I would be doing the GOP party a disservice if I were to run for office.
The Hardy Among Us
So, I leave running for office to those who have the composure and comportment to weather the storms. Those hardy individuals who can deflect the slings and arrows of the outrageous fortune that befalls a Republican or Conservative candidate, in a land dominated by the Leftist press, who gleefully distort and gaslight with reckless abandon.
To the brave souls who choose to run for office as a Republican, a Conservative, a Libertarian, or someone who is simply steeped in oodles of common sense, I applaud you to the high hilt. We need you, North Carolina needs you, and the country needs you. Fortunately, good men and women step up all the time.
++++
Jeff Davidson is “The Work-Life Balance Expert®” and the premier thought leader on work-life balance, integration, and harmony. Jeff speaks to organizations that seek to enhance their overall productivity by improving the effectiveness of their people. He is the author of Breathing Space, Simpler Living, Dial it Down, and Everyday Project Management.
By Frosty Wooldridge
