The Campaign Button ~ From Twenty Years Ago

Monkette was poking around in my desk when she ran across a couple of theses campaign buttons. She wanted to know the back story about them.

Twenty years ago Mayor Neu talked me into running for council. So I ran. Then the mayor double crossed me and started backing somebody else. I did the same! I let my campaign falter in my effort to defeat the mayor and elect a young unknown woman candidate. She won. Vengeance is sweet.

I was married to Claudia Bailey at the time and she designed the button. Scott Galvin and I both lost that election. A few years later Scott ran again and won. I decided to not bother. I had enough influence through my board positions and from being on a first name basis with the local congressman, Bill Lehman. Just about every Sunday morning would find Bill and me and a few others having breakfast at the big round table at Jimmie's Place. A few times a month you would find me accompanying Bill around the community or attending some function or another. As long as I shot a few pictures I'd get paid. That's what it's all about, right? Being on the council only paid a token amount.

Now that the mayor and council gave themselves that humongous salary and benefits package I just might run in two years. Monkette decided that it's not too soon to start the campaign. We're both wearing buttons!