The Chris Moeller Archives

The campaign wrap up

Going into this legislative race, I had no idea what kind of impact we could have, or what percentage of the final vote was even conceivable. I never expected to win, but admittedly, my mind often drifted to percentages loftier than 22. Maybe that was unreasonable considering the elements against us.

In some Iowa House districts this year, candidates were combining to spend upwards of $300,000, according to financial filings. During the quarter leading up to election day, my opponent collected $9225.00 in contributions, all from Political Action Committees. Our campaign took in about $1500.00 for the entire race, all in personal contributions, and we finished with a bank account balance of a little over 30 bucks. I guess Iowa taxpayers will have to wait just a while longer for that type of efficient fiscal representation at their statehouse.

As the member of a state legislature, I would have become the highest ranking Green Party officeholder in the country, and matched the highest office achieved in the party's history in the United States. The Greens claim a few mayors, quite a few city officials, school board members, and the like, but indeed, this was a tall task. (Internationally, it's a much rosier picture for the party.) It was a tall task also, perhaps, for a rookie effort. And in a district where I have no long-running or family ties.

I've already told you how much fun I had exploring the district and sharing my message. The community forum two weeks ago now feels particularly like a peak moment, but the various other events I attended, and the wonderful people I talked to I won't soon forget. People in this part of the world are so remarkable, so engaging and impassioned. I absolutely take it on faith that the people who voted for me voted for the progressive ideals we spoke for. People here vote their hopes, not their fears. From a selfish standpoint, it's hard for me to fathom 1,872 people selecting my name on their ballot, and I take that for what it's worth in reality, but it's a much happier thought than to consider that another 6,600 or so of my Des Moines neighbors seemed so determined to stab me in the back. Just kidding.

Up to the last moment, I took great pleasure from the fact that my third-party candidacy seemed to cause such unusual problems for local media. The CBS television affiliate last night, for some reason, used a different font for District 66 results in their on-screen graphics. The NBC affiliate, from inside a building that I worked in for eight years, never posted the House 66 voting results (at least that I witnessed) in their bottom-screen crawl, presuming, I guess, that the incumbent was essentially unopposed after June's primary. (It gets worse. Their 10pm news anchor had one of my opponent's yard signs in front of her house throughout the campaign.) The Des Moines Register, which never got around to adding my name to its online electoral map prior to the vote, lists me as a Democrat in the final tally. I've never been so insulted in my life.

The day after, I actually feel more energized than abused by the process, and I have an initial instinct to go at it again, perhaps in the very near future. The overall feedback has been so encouraging, and I thank all of you who comprise my "blog base" especially for that. For now, I look forward to doing more writing here again-- and toward a better range of topics than you've been reading for the last 90 days. Thanks for your patience on that.

Also, I'm gonna stop shaving.

posted by CM @ 9:18 PM