Dear Constituents,
Even though you have been bombarded with political ads, flyers, and phone calls throughout this election year, from politicians and groups of all colors of the political spectrum, you may not have heard of me.
I am one of the candidates running for office to represent you in your government, and while my opponent may be better funded, better connected, and more politically-savvy, I think you should vote for me.
I think I would be an effective voice for you and your community for the services you need from your government. I will lead with integrity and stand by the principles that I think all leaders should stand by. And most importantly, as your elected representative, I will be there to listen to you, to talk with you, and to learn from you.
You may have heard my opponent telling you that he knows what you need the most. He has the solutions to all the problems plaguing your community. He promises to always make the decisions that you think he should make.
I do not.
And that is where I completely differ from my opponent - no, from many politicians you may see and hear.
I am fully willing to admit that I do not come with all the answers.
I do not know what it is you need the most. I do not know what issues on which to focus. I do not know the best policies for those issues. I do not have the best campaign promises to make. And perhaps, I do not even agree with you on the issues you care about the most.
However, what I will do, is listen to you and your fellow constituents about what issues matter to you. So even if I do not agree with you on how best to address those issues, you know that I will at least focus on those issues that matter to you. Because the more we engage on them, the more opportunities we will have to gain new insight and perhaps side with each other in the end.
I will also make sure to surround myself with actual experts on those issues which you care about. I will make sure my knowledge of the issues includes the best information available. So even if I don't know what the best approach is to fixing those issues, you will know that I have formed a plan based on trustworthy counsel and reliable sources.
I will be open about what my motivations are on the issues on which I stand, and my motivations for taking a certain position. So even if my stance does not agree with yours on that particular issue, you will have a clear understanding of why it is that I disagree.
Finally, I will always be willing to step back and look at how well my policies are actually working, on their intended goals as well as on any unintended consequences. This doesn't mean you should always expect knee-jerk reactions from me; only that I understand the need for acknowledging errors in judgement and always looking for room to improve.
I may not look how you think I should look. I may not believe what you think I should believe. I may not say what you want me to say.
However, if you vote for me, you are not voting for someone who will tell you whatever it takes to get you to vote for him, or her.
You are voting for someone who will try to lead as best as he or she can, and at the very least, will reflect you, if not in anything else, in your imperfection.
Sincerely,
Nobody who has won a U.S. election, ever