Editorials

Election winners and losers deserve respect for effort

TBO.com
Published: November 14, 2012

It's been a week since the election but it's not too long to tell all the candidates, the winners and losers, that we admire them for putting it all on the line for an opportunity at public service.

Most voters don't comprehend the amount of time it takes to run a campaign. At the local and state level, these are folks who hold down full-time jobs and spend every extra minute either raising money or attending forums. They often don't have handlers who take care of every detail. It's up to them.

They knock on doors, get asked the same questions over and over, and sometimes face criticism. For the more seasoned politicians it's not that big of a deal. They've seen it all before. But for first-time candidates, it's a huge learning curve. Thick skins must be built almost instantly, and that's no easy thing.

First-time local candidates quickly find out how expensive it is to run for office, often footing a large part of the bill. Campaign signs alone can drain a candidate's coffers. No special interest groups or PACs line up to support local races. At the state level, much more money pours in, as Rep. Denise Grimsley and recently elected Cary Pigman found out, but for most that isn't the case.

Regardless of the money, the time involvement is substantial. We saw all local candidates out at almost every event sweating in the heat, handing out literature and shaking hands.

But forget all the work it takes just to run in an election. The hardest part is putting yourself out there for all the slings and arrows. Most of us prefer to keep our opinions to ourselves, even when they are strong. Of course, it hardly seems that way any more with so many people venting, but to explain your personal philosophy on so many things requires guts and confidence.

In this race, some very good people were elected and some very good people were not. We hope those who didn't make it this time don't give up. Sometimes the times are not right or something else just makes it difficult to win. Many successful politicians fare poorly in early election attempts. Abraham Lincoln lost a couple of elections before finally winning the presidency.

The public sometimes doesn't appreciate the work candidates do to get elected. It's too bad because it's substantial. That's why we appreciate their efforts and encourage those with strong beliefs to serve the public to continue on that quest. We need people with dedication serving at every level.