The last 1460 days

About 1460 days ago the loss by Tim Penny inspired me to do everything I could in the following four years to create a different result last night. Unfortunately the result was the same, the Independence Party did not take back the Governors mansion, and when you lose the final #'s don't really mean a heck of a lot.

I can be proud that I went above and beyond what I expected of myself 1460 days ago, I can be proud that we ran a candidate far and beyond the kind of candidate I was expecting 1460 days ago, and I can be proud that this party is as credible as ever because of the things that have been done since Peter Hutchinson's campaign announcement 9 and a half months ago, by myself and countless others that are on board now to build this party going forward. I can be proud that our candidates for Congress in the 5th and 6th district were our best candidates for congress ever, and are ready to run again when the time is right. I can be proud that IRV passed in Minneapolis, and they choose our party to celebrate with. I can be grateful that the two candidates (Mike Hatch and Mary Kiffmeyer) who went out of their way to try to damage our party two years ago have been fired. And I can be proud I used my vote to choose the candidates I want to see in office, and not to try to damage another candidates. Did anyone else notice that our incredibly close race for Governor was decided by not 1 vote or 100 or 1,000, but 30,000 vote, it's a shame that the voters were driven by fear away from the candidate they wanted, and that voice doesn't come back for another 1460 days unless you are willing to get on the ground running tomorrow.

The drop from 16% to 6% in those 1460 days is disappointing, but elections are about a moment in time, movements happen 1460 days at a time, and there is no doubt the Independence Party movement has been moving forward these last 1460 days.