Some time ago (I can't find the frickin' diary, but I know it's out there somewhere), I wrote a story in which I promised that, if my current state representative ran for a vacant State Senate seat and won, that I would run for his House seat.
Well, it happened. And so now we have a conundrum.
Certainly I can't be forced to keep my word in this circumstance - and everyone would understand if I said, "no, I need to concentrate on other things." But here's the thing.
There are, as of this point, at least four Republicans in the race (I don't know if the newest entrant is a Republican or a Democrat). That vote will be badly split in the election on Dec. 19. I can be available for the election day weekend push, and I have lots of friends who I can shamelessly finagle into being my surrogates until I get back to Mississippi. Don't get me wrong - this is, quite frankly, some of the most unfriendly turf for a Democrat that there is, and I'm operating under several other handicaps (he's too young, he needs to finish his schooling, he doesn't understand the real world - why, he still lives with his parents!) But structurally, there are basically three obstacles:
- If before my mother can get to the courthouse on Monday (which would be the earliest that she could file for me), a Democrat files. That's an easy situation for me - I sit this one out.
- Money. I said last time that I wouldn't ask for money from you guys, and I mean it. I wouldn't be above accepting it if you offered, but I won't ask you. The question is, this election is basically going to be a money and shoe leather sprint. I've got plenty of shoe leather. Can I raise enough money to be competitive? Could I convince Kos or the MyDD boys to plug me? I dunno.
- Let's say, by some miracle, I win. How do I both pursue my legal education AND serve my constituents fully? I don't know that I could do both simultaneously. I would certainly have to drop out of law school this next semester, as that would be up against the regular session. I would probably also have to give up next fall in order to run for re-election (it's a special to fill out an unexpired term), or I could just not run for re-election.
I trust most of you, in ways I don't even trust my own professors and my own classmates, so I value your input. What do you think?