11/09/2017
At the debate a few weeks ago, I started off by acknowledging how amazing this journey has been. There is no other way to put it- I am extremely proud to have had the opportunity to run for County Executive here in Orange County. And I’m thankful to those who put their faith in me and gave me a chance to show that I could define a unique vision and strategy for the County and I am a leader who is prepared to serve in that capacity.
I knew getting into the race that it was going to be an uphill battle- not necessarily impossible, but pretty close to it. There was one thing that kept me going even in the face of such tough odds:
My supporters- the people I met around the County over the course of the campaign who were thankful to have a choice in this election. The supporters who volunteered their own personal time to provide advice and recommendations, talk to their neighbors, make phone calls, post online, write letters, put out lawn signs, and come to see us at events. The most common response I got from new supporters who were following the race was “thank you for doing this”. The sincerity with which this message was delivered every time was real. And their message was simple- it rose above any specific details on any of the issues in the County, and it came from the heart. It was a message of hope.
I’m humbled that nearly 30,000 of our neighbors in the County cast their ballots in support of me and my vision for the County- and I owe each of you tremendous thanks.
The nature of political discourse in our country right now has reached a point where many people are concerned (or worse) and we seem to have lost sight of what it means to serve each other and, at times, what it means to be American. For these reasons (and others I stated over the course of my campaign), we need a new type of leadership in politics. I think that is clear.
That’s why I’m proud to have made a run at it, and similarly encouraged by and proud of the slate of candidates who put their own lives on hold temporarily to do the same. If our government is serving in the best interests of all of the people, and not just their own political party, then we should be able to go about our daily lives to support our families without needing to worry about how decisions, which have a real impact on our lives, are being made. And this is why I am willing to make a commitment to stay involved and find a way to serve- and I hope others will do the same. Change does not happen overnight, and we should be encouraged, rather than discouraged, about the results of these elections- it should give us fuel to stay involved, speak truth to power, and dig deep to understand how to do better the next time around.
And last, but definitely not least- I’d like to thank my family. The bulk of this campaign happened to overlap with my wife’s “busy season” at West Point, so not only did I make it exponentially harder for her, we relied on our parents for their tireless support- basically holding down our household for the better part of the last two months. Even after being married for over 11 years, I don’t think Lexie would have ever imagined me running for office. But, I think that she quickly realized my motivation was coming from somewhere much deeper, and she was not only supportive, but she also became my number one advisor in private. In the middle of a campaign, it was important to have someone with an outsider’s perspective, not involved in the daily grind, to make sure I was staying true to myself and not compromising the things are most easily compromised in difficult political environments. Simply put, Lexie was my rock and it’s one of the many reasons I love her. We are emerging from this, just like other trying times, stronger than when we started.
And this is strength we need, because our two boys Michael and Andrew are growing up really fast and need our love and support. These days we need everything we can get to match their seemingly endless energy.
So, again, thank you all from the bottom of my heart. And I hope to see you again very soon.
