from the ashes arises.... the same candidate giving it another go

Today, I ran into a lady who had been beaten in what was probably the most expensive legislative primary in state history. I've known her and thought highly of her since first meeting her over a decade ago. In speaking with her, my thought was "I hope you're going to try it again."

Why? Why would you put yourself up for that abuse again? The long hours, the work, the money, the investment of yourself - why would you do that again? Simply put, its worth it. Teddy Roosevelt lost the mayoral campaign for NYC before becoming president. Ronald Reagan came within a hair of defeating Gerald Ford, but later came back to become a 20th century presidential icon. Newt Gingrich ran and lost more than once before finally winning his congressional seat, and the list goes on.

In South Dakota, I know of many current and former legislators who got beaten, only to return again. Former State Representative Mary Edelen from Vermillion got beaten once. Mary was a Republican candidate who consistently won in what was then a solidly Democratic District. But then she lost. "By about a hundred votes" she told me. She said at first it was frustrating knowing that the margin was so thin. But Mary came back and gave it another shot the next election. In one the terms she served after that margin, she authored and sponsored the legislation that created Dakota Dunes. At the time, the only similar development district in the country was the one that created one of the Disney parks. In effect, Mary was the "Mother" of Dakota Dunes. Not so shabby for someone who lost, huh?

Over a decade ago, I believe Frank Kloucek lost at least twice - possibly three times - before he won an election for the state legislature. Now it would darn near take an act of god to remove him. I don't want to say Frank's unbeatable, but removing him would be a chore. From losing a few times, Frank didn't so much reinvent himself as examine what he did wrong and make efforts not do it again.

Shantel Krebs is a recent comeback kid. She lost a primary in 2002, but now she's in with authority - no Democrat even bothered to take the ticket on.

It's worth giving it another shot if you know what you did right, if you can figure out what you did wrong, and endeavour not to make the same mistakes twice. Examine, analyze, and use that to plan another go. It's worth getting back up on the horse.

So my hat is off to all you who can feel that fire in your belly still smouldering, and are getting ready to give 'em hell once more!