Post-Election Analysis: The Agony of Defeat and the Thrill of Victory

Part 1 of a series

My campaign experience, like probably most others, was a series of ups and downs. Yet, some of my biggest ups and downs were superimposed on each other. The euphoria of securing enough petition signatures to file our ballot petition was tempered by my daughter unexpectedly being hospitalized. The triumph of winning my Republican primary was muted by the somber news of a good friend’s death in the moments before results started coming in. It seemed inevitable that joy would be elusive for me in this pursuit. On Election night, it became clear to me early that the trend of the result tallies were going against me and that I would eventually lose. I had set out to win. Expectations from five months of grueling, non-stop effort were evaporating with each district that reported. Surprisingly, the disappointment of this trough passed almost instantly, countered perfectly by a peak; the joy of my daughter’s impending wedding. Throughout the campaign, I spoke about priorities. Personally, mine are back in alignment.