If you live in the 1st District of Illinois, you could have voted for my dad yesterday. He was running for state senator (R).
Just like Bill Hendrickson, only for a different state and without all the polygamy.
His name wasn't on the ballot. Apparently, new laws in Illinois require candidates to collect a certain number of "valid" signatures by the primary election in order to be listed on the general ballot. In a blue state like Illinois, home of our newly re-elected president, this can be hard for Republicans to do. So, he was a write-in.
We are so very proud of him.
My dad has always been passionate about politics. I can't tell you how inspiring it was to watch him take this on just a couple of months before the primary, knowing he had a tough road ahead of him and yet rising to the task anyway, because he felt a calling and saw a need. I wasn't the only one leaping this year.
He was good-natured when we talked about it last night, joking about the number of votes he expected and sharing his plans to try again. I talked to my mom, too, and she said it was so cool to add her husband's name to the ballot. You could hear the beaming in her voice.
As a Hoosier, I wasn't much good to my dad at the polls yesterday, but the example he set certainly means something to me.
Doing the right thing is many times not very easy. Knowing enough to try any way is the right thing to do. Good job.
Posted by: daddyd | November 08, 2012 at 01:17 AM
Very cool.
Posted by: StateofKate | November 08, 2012 at 07:41 AM
I can't see your dad getting in all the trouble Bill Hendrickson got himself into, but I can see him running a store like Home Plus.
Posted by: Luke | November 08, 2012 at 08:27 AM
If I lived in Illinois, I would have voted for your dad. He is a great guy.
Posted by: Molly | November 08, 2012 at 09:06 AM
That's awesome!
Posted by: Jackie | November 08, 2012 at 09:27 AM