Despite the outcome of my own race, we as a state have a chance to achieve great things. Sustainable job growth based in part on an industrial revolution in clean energy; reduced health care costs and improved quality by building a better system around primary care; an improved educational system that challenges our historical ideas of how schools are run and kids are taught; a better and more expansive public transit system that is properly funded; and most of all, a more transparent and responsive legislature. But until we – the voters, the media, the candidates – demand this kind of progress, then the status quo will always be our default.
I’ve learned a tremendous amount over the past few months, and certainly am better off for having made the decision to run. My Democratic primary outcome is evidence of the Democratic voting base’s desire for progressive, anti-establishment candidates. And perhaps with more time or a different political climate this message could have taken hold more in the general election. That I’ll never really know. But I do know that our success will come if we continue proudly advocating our message of a better, more innovative, more accountable government. Our success stems from our ability to forcefully enunciate the power of progress against the Republican false promises of tax cuts and feeble government – empty scare tactics that unfortunately work during campaigns, more so during a recession. And our success will come if progressive candidates continue to put themselves into races time and time again. That’s why this will be just the beginning for me.
We had some truly great moments during the campaign. Just ask anyone who was in the campaign office on election day about the hum of activity, excitement, and purpose. Together we built an election day operation with over 250 volunteers, many of whom were on the phones or knocking on doors for an entire day. I enjoyed successfully debating my opponent on his home turf by enunciating clear ideas and strategies for our economy, health care, and transparency. I am proud to have earned the endorsement of the Boston Globe for the primary and general election with a focus on bringing new ideas to some very old problems. And I’m extraordinarily grateful for the hundreds of people I’ve had an opportunity to meet, and for the ideas and passions they shared with me. These are new friends that will last a lifetime.
I’ve also learned that campaigns can be exhausting and rarely glamorous. Spending hours calling people you’ve never met for money is monotonous at best, and frankly an absurd task. How much better would it be if that time could be spent talking to voters? And if I didn’t know it well enough before, some of today’s main stream media doesn’t care about ideas – they create the race they want to sell. I only mention these because if we’re going to get a better political system, we’re going to have to focus on pushing for public financing of campaigns and demanding as consumers that the (mainstream) media actually talk about ideas.
I’ll end by sharing a quote given to me by a Republican supporter of mine, and written by Theodore Roosevelt, a great “progressive” Republican president. It aptly sums up my thoughts at the end of this worthwhile endeavor:
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
Thank you all for your support, and now let us continue – there is much work to be done!
Peter Smulowitz
Thank you for your efforts, your voice, and your energy.
Thank you for your dedication and effort!