And so we find ourselves with little over one week left before the election on November 2. When I began this race back in March, my motivations were simple: work hard to understand the issues and concerns facing the people of House District 3. After 8 months of knocking on doors, forums and debates, school board and city council meetings, I believe I have developed a true understanding of the work that needs to be done at the legislative level for our community. We need to fight to create an environment friendly to small business and responsible industry in order to put people back to work. We need to fight to preserve the availability of quality education. We need to fight to address hikes in home owners’ taxes. We need to fight to preserve our proud community heritage and way of life. We need to fight for a legislative agenda based on the needs of our community, not on personal self-interest or party line division. I am ready to fight.
I am asking you to give me the opportunity to take this fight to Helena. You have all been inundated with phone calls, newspaper ads, highway and yard signs and countless mailings. Outside of the intrusion of the North Valley Political Action Committee from Whitefish with their negative ads, my opponents and I have run a clean race with civil and respectful dialogue. The time has now come for you to vote for who you feel best represents you and your best interests.
Someone asked me the other day what goes through one’s mind during the final weeks before an election? I simply responded with, “a lot my friend, a lot.” Now that I’ve had time to think, I must say there is so much that has passed through my mind as of late. I think a lot about my mother and how much energy she has put into supporting me through this endeavor. I think a lot about my father and how he would have loved watching me work toward election day. I think about my friends who have been with me from the beginning and those I have made along the way. I think about all the changes I have seen in this area over the last 32 years and how lucky I am to have grown up here.
With the passage of all these thoughts, I find I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to get to know those who live in the communities of House District 3. I am grateful for the willingness of people to share what is happening in their lives, both positive and negative. I am grateful for the many words of encouragement, kindness and confidence I have received along the way. I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of this community and would love nothing more than a chance to work for both its preservation and its betterment in Helena.
Father Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame once said, ”It’s not easy to make a difficult decision and you don’t make a difficult decision because it’s easy. You don’t make a difficult decision because it’s cheap. You don’t make a difficult decision because it’s popular. You make a difficult decision because it’s right.” When you go to the polls on November 2, I simply ask for your consideration when deciding which candidate is sincerely dedicated to best serve our district in Helena.
