Letters To Lucas: Election Day Eve
This is an on-going series of letters that I’m writing to my son Lucas. This is one I wrote on Election Day Eve and would share with the wider audience. These are thoughts penned onto paper and are unedited. Enjoy.
Tonight is the night before the election. This is probably the most strenuous election that I’ve been a part of. I’ve done me part to sell our Republican candidates to Georgia voters—writing pieces on GeorgiaPol, making phone calls, going door-to-door, and putting up signs at precincts.
It’s something I’ve done in some form or fashion since I was old enough to vote. I’m glad I was able to expose your to some of that this year. I took you to the last stop on the GAGOP Bus Tour. You got to meet the man that, I hope, will be Georgia’s next governor: Brian Kemp.
You definitely made an impression on people, and I can tell you were enjoying it. You were smiling from ear-to-ear, playing with a fan and the campaign stickers I was wearing. You’re too young to probably remember, but I know you had fun. I loved sharing that experience with you. It’s a part of who I am and what shaped me.
Some things are easier to do than others. Making cold calls to voters and going door-to-door makes my anxiety flare, but it doesn’t kill me. In fact, it makes me a better person by getting me outside my comfort zone.
Tonight I put out signs in Gwinnett County. It’s different than it was in Walker County—a lot less driving. It was enjoyable nonetheless. It may not sounds exciting, but it’s a bit of tradition for folks who are politically active.
Signs look to pop up every where his before Election Day, but they can be effective in getting people to see your name repeatedly. It’s helpful for down ballot races. I just am glad to help contribute what I can to our Cause.
I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. I hope we win, but I know God is in control. I love you, buddy. Never forget either of these things.
Love,
-Dad
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I’m going to gently suggest that you introduce Lucas to judging political candidates by the content of their character and not the color of their campaign buttons. My father did this with me though other than voting in Democratic primaries, I’m not sure he ever voted for one in his life in the General. In the last election before his death he did abstain from voting for W or Kerry.
I was raised by what would now a days be called a RINO (my mom) and a DINO (my late date). Both pro-union, pro-life, pro Mathew 25 types, liked little gov, but taxes were okay IF ONLY used for public Education, UW system, conservation/hunting/state lands, public safety and roads. They had sign wars, mom’s on the east side of the front walk, dad’s the west. Mom dated our prior congressman of 34 years in high school, dad’s mom was friends with Sen. Proxmiere. Mom’s parents had a painting of the Ripon WI White School House (Birth place of the GOP) in the front hall, Dad’s parents had a “shire to JFK”, with a rosary hang over a corner of the shadowbox.
I wonder what their letters leading into the 1970 midterms would each have said…
Nathan, great Idea of writing things to your son like this it’s something I’m sure he will treasure. I started something I have titled “For my grandchildren’s grandchildren”. It too is a collection of thoughts. I know personally all my grandkids it’s the great, greats I’ll likely never meet who I want to reach out to. I have always wondered about past relatives I never met and save a few letters and a few stories that survived I don’t know that much about them. I have photographs and paintings but not much more. Nothing like their personal thoughts so I really don’t know much about who they really were. It started as a collection of letters but it is evolving into a book about the relatives I personally have known and my own thoughts addressed to those I’ll never met. I hope it will mean something to them.