From Here To There: Steve Lane for Congress

Well.. It is officially official. My husband has announced that he is a candidate for congress in the 4th district. He announced on Ralph Bristol this morning. Here's the audio clip!

He and I had several lengthy discussions before this decision was made. We talked a lot about what a campaign would look like for our family. Since neither of us has done anything like this before, I am still not quite sure what to expect. We talked about him being away, speaking engagements, possible criticisms there will be and how we will handle that, and a range of other things. Now we will find out what it's really like.

I am very proud of Steve. I believe in what he is trying to accomplish and the heart behind what he believes. I really think he can do this. He has vision and he is creative and he really knows what he is talking about. I can "see" him winning. Besides, I am behind him. I heard a story once that goes like this.

Years ago when the first George Bush was President he went out campaigning for his second term in office. While on the road they needed some gas and the driver pulled into a gas station along the road. As the attendant started fueling the car Mrs. Barbara Bush got out of the vehicle, walked around, hugged and cheerfully spoke with the attendant.

After they finished talking, she got back into the car and sat next to her husband. President Bush asked her, "Who was that?" She responded, "A high school boyfriend."

To which he replied, "You mean to tell me, that you left the car to talk to him? Do you realize that you are married to the President of the United States? If you had married him, you’d be the wife of a gas station attendant."

She responded: "Honey, if I had married him, he would be the President of the United States."
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/humor/marriedhim.asp#9W1wI7qRVCSOEgER.99

Years ago when the first George Bush was President he went out campaigning for his second term in office. While on the road they needed some gas and the driver pulled into a gas station along the road. As the attendant started fueling the car Mrs. Barbara Bush got out of the vehicle, walked around, hugged and cheerfully spoke with the attendant. After they finished talking, she got back into the car and sat next to her husband. President Bush asked her, "Who was that?" She responded, "A high school boyfriend." To which he replied, "You mean to tell me, that you left the car to talk to him? Do you realize that you are married to the President of the United States? If you had married him, you’d be the wife of a gas station attendant."
She responded: "Honey, if I had married him, he would be the President of the United States."

I checked this story out to try to find proof that it actually happened. According to Snopes, this is just a story and similar tales have been published about several other famous couples. Even though the stories are not true, I would like to think that I am that kind of inspiration for my husband.
Steve says that because I am basically a-political that I keep him grounded. I don't quite understand what he is trying to say, even though he has tried to explain it to me several times. I am just me. I don't know most the people that he looks up to or why he gets so excited when he meets them in person. Meh, big deal, to me they are just people. Some of the events we have gone to can only be compared to what I imagine a geeky comic convention must be like. At the end of the conference, everybody has nerd-gasms and rushes to the front of the room to talk to and take pictures with the speakers. That kind of thing just doesn't do it for me.

Steve says that I am like the typical voter. I have a life. Hahahaha! I find that statement funny. Seriously though, I have kids, and a 40 hour job, and I am a part-time student, who has time to follow politics? I don't know how the current congressmen voted over the year(s) and I don't know the issues that are important to them. I hear tidbits about the main elections from collegues and from strangers passing by who happen to say something about it, from facebook, and from the news. What I have learned in the short time that Steve has been telling me about the goings on in the political world, is that you can't trust the news. They don't get the facts right anymore. What I have learned from statistics class is that you can "massage" the numbers to make them favor the result you are looking for. This doesn't make for a great or informative combination. So what do you do? Steve says that the best way to know what is going on is to get involved; go to a meeting. According to him, the statements he hears the most about why people don't get involved are "How can just one person make a difference" or "My vote doesn't count". Honestly, there are so many people that don't care or don't have time to care that one vote DOES count. I have seen some of the change that one person can make just by observing Steve and his friends. I don't know all the details but I know that changes have been made and some changes are in process here in Rutherford County. Did you know it only takes 1,700 votes to be elected to Murfreesboro City Council in a population of 115,000? In the 4th congressional district there are over 400,000 registered voters and in a 3 way primary like what Steve will be running in, it will only take about 15,000 votes to be elected. Seems to me the numbers say there is plenty of room for people (me included) to see positive change just by being an informed voter (who actually votes).

If I am completely honest with myself, I am really scared. I don't know what is going to happen over the next year. I will probably have to make some sacrifices to make sure that Steve gets to the places he needs to be. I am probably going to have to deal with people saying mean things about him. I know that Steve will be spending lots of time away from me and the kids while he is campaigning. I will miss him. A LOT. We are a two income household, plus we have kids, so I can't just pick up and follow him around. I am not crazy about this. And I don't even want to get into the what-if's involved with winning.

This is what I do know. I know that I am crazy in love with this man. I know that we are both committed to a working relationship and that we can handle and work through anything that comes our way. I know that I can do anything and get the strength I need through Christ (I just need to remember to lean on Him). I know that I believe in Steve and what he stands for. And because I know all of those things I know that this will work, no matter the outcome.