Finally, the big announcement I've been hinting at for weeks.
I'm running for Milwaukee County Supervisor in the 15th district!
Finally, the big announcement I've been hinting at for weeks.
I'm running for Milwaukee County Supervisor in the 15th district!
You can read the full press release here, with a PDF version here, and visit my campaign website for County Supervisor here.
I'll let the press release and website do most of the talking here, but I did want to add a few notes here on my own personal weblog.
It was no easy decision to take the plunge and decide to run for public office. I talked it over extensively with my family, friends, and residents of the district and decided to make the commitment for a number of reasons. First off, I honestly believe in the idea of citizens being active participants in the democratic process and that public service is an honorable calling. Secondly, Milwaukee County is in a state of crisis and I believe that our current Supervisor, Lynne DeBruin, has served long enough in a tenure that includes two pension scandals, the severe deterioration of our wonderful parks system, and constant cuts in almost every public service while taxes continue to rise. She serves as Chair of the committee that oversees the parks, energy and environment and frankly, all those areas are in dire straights right now.
Over the last few months, I've been pointing out here on my weblog what I believe to be her severe lack of leadership and record of wrong choices for Milwaukee County. Factor in her continued support of Scott Walker and a stronger desire to appear on conservative Sunday morning TV shows than to get out and interact with her constituents, and it was a choice that I personally had to make.
I can't just sit by and let this County that I live in and love be run into the ground anymore, so I'm going to do something about it.
On that note, I ask for your support, not only financially, but also in the areas that I address on the campaign website. My goal is to knock on as many doors as I can and get out and talk to people about why I think they should vote for me this spring. That's how I plan on winning.
Local grassroots support for change in Milwaukee County will stand in stark contrast to Supervisor DeBruin's reputation as someone who doesn't like to get out and talk to her constituents and someone who just expects to get re-elected because she's run unopposed the last two election cycles.
Honestly, there couldn't be a clearer choice. On one hand, you have someone who thinks she's entitled to her position as Supervisor and doesn't put much stock into community outreach (Check out her website for example, it's still "under development" after three terms in office!) and on the other hand, there's me who for as long as I've lived here have been involved with the community and strongly believes in listening to what people have to say about the challenges Milwaukee County faces.
One odd thing about running for office is what I've been writing about here on my weblog for the last six years. I don't know of many folks who have run for office who have actually written a weblog for reasons other than as a campaign tool. I fully expect to be labeled as "a blogger running for office", but that's not what I am at all. I'm someone on the leading edge of the next generation of politicians who grew up with technology and see things like Facebook, MySpace, and weblogs as a normal part of our lives, not something we're defined by.
With that in mind, I fully plan on continuing to write here on my personal weblog during the course of the campaign. And not because it's something that I think will help me, but because it's something I've always done. While the focus of my blogging regarding issues relating to Milwaukee County and the campaign will now take place on the campaign blog, I won't stop writing about things that are important and interesting to me here on my personal weblog.
As anyone who's ever run for public office knows, it requires a great deal of sacrifice and commitment. I look forward to those challenges however, and more so look forward to representing the people of Milwaukee County's 15th district!
Thanks in advance for all your support. Now it's time to get to work!