25 Nov Thankful to Have Run for Congress
My wonderful alma mater, Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, taught me much about communications and political science, among other academic subjects. More importantly, though, Buena Vista taught be about the need to be a lifelong learner and about how to learn. It also ignited in me the desire to learn. (To be fair, I also inherited some of this from my parents.)
I still love to learn. I am very thankful to BVU and others who have instilled that desire.
As Thanksgiving rolls around once again, I count my blessings, including what I learned this year. Much of that education took place during my four-month candidacy to serve Minnesota’s Third Congressional District as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Below are some of the things I am grateful to have discovered.
Trouble, But Good to Know
Minnesota’s Third District for many decades was represented in Washington, D.C. by moderate Republicans. Then, running as a business-oriented moderate, Democrat Dean Phillips took over the suburban Minneapolis seat in the 2018 mid-term election. Phillips won here again in 2020 and 2022. Before my own campaign, I had a theory that the district just wanted a moderate – irrespective of party – and that I could win as a center-right Republican given that Phillips was not seeking re-election in 2024.
I learned I was wrong about that. For starters, I could not get nominated on any kind of centrist platform. I now know that Minnesota’s caucus and convention system for selecting party-endorsed candidates favors anything but moderation. Instead, as I learned the hard way, a large portion of the people who participate in those events are hard-core partisans who feel very, very immoderately about one or more issues.
For many delegates, however, the biggest “issue” on their minds this year was actually a person: Donald Trump. I learned that there is no “centrist” position on any Trump question, and my unwillingness to endorse him (or to say that the 2020 election was “stolen”) disqualified me in the minds of many voting delegates. I now know that it was impossible to be nominated as a Republican in my district without pledging unequivocal “support” for Trump.
This barrier becomes a Catch-22 conundrum when it is clear that it is equally impossible for a Trump-endorsing Republican to win this district in November.
We will never know how I would have done in the general election. Tad Jude, the experienced candidate who beat me for the GOP endorsement, ended up receiving 170,427 votes this month, which was more than Mr. Trump himself got in this district (161,925) and far more than Republican U.S. Senate candidate Royce White received here (140,408). But Tad Jude, who tried to run as a moderate in the general election (as, somewhat shockingly, did his opponent, Dr. Kelly Morrison), still fell far short of Morrison’s 240,209 votes. In addition to getting 70,000 more votes, Morrison also raised almost five times more in campaign funds than did Jude, further indicating a lack of Republican strength in the Minneapolis suburbs.
Happier Lessons
Another thing I learned is that there still are great people with strong political beliefs and a love of our country. People want what is best for America, regardless of our differences of opinion regarding which policies and candidates will help or hurt the country. Democracy is messy, but it indeed survives. I am grateful for the opportunity to see this up close.
Relatedly, a collegial campaign remains possible, too. There were many smiles – even hugs sometimes – shared among competitors during my campaign. We teased each other, but we did not bash or attack our fellow candidates. Moreover, Tad Jude told me over lunch recently that his face off against Kelly Morrison also was cordial. I did not see any negative advertising in the Third District race all year. Substantively as well, my message of moderation may have been prescient, as both Jude and Morrison tried to out-“centrist” each other during the general election campaign.
Friends and relatives are one of the best blessings in life. I knew that before this year, but my campaign really taught me new ways that comradeship can be shown. For example, there were those who donated significant amounts of money without me asking them or anyone else for a nickel. Others spent many hours attending caucuses, conventions, and other campaign events on my behalf. Yet others traveled long miles to help as volunteers. Hundreds more encouraged me in person and on social media. As always, my wife, daughters, and sons-in-law were my best friends from the campaign’s beginning to end. Many thanks to all of you.
Lastly, I am thankful that my congressional campaign dramatically advanced the mission of Principle Based Politics. My blog readership is more than double what it was before I ran for office. This helps me spread the message of principles – rather than partisanship, polarization, or power – as the basis for American politics.
I am filled with gratitude for the political learning opportunities 2024 provided me, even though I was not elected. As you celebrate Thanksgiving this week, please join me as we Make America Grateful Again.
Written by Quentin R. Wittrock, founder of Principle Based Politics.
Look for his posts each week, as this blog will explore and promote the idea of principle in politics, both as to individual elected leaders and our federal government as an institution.
Principle Based Politics does not endorse or support any particular political candidate or party.
James Loerts
Posted at 13:11h, 26 NovemberTo paraphrase Teddy Roosevelt it’s the fighter who is in the ring that deserves our respect. I don’t think America is as polarized as the media would have us believe. Unfortunately our nation is caught in a down circling vortex of anger right now. Hopefully it will end. Maybe you helped.
Angela Hermanson
Posted at 15:36h, 26 NovemberWhat a great recap of your learnings and gratitude! I am grateful you ran as I learned a lot and enjoyed supporting you.
Gary Russell
Posted at 15:36h, 26 NovemberWell said, James – on all counts. I do believe Quentin is helping. Another thing I am learning is the practice of listening/understanding rather than persuasion and “being right”. Also helps to narrow the polarization gap.
Ted Hermanson
Posted at 16:11h, 26 NovemberGreat post and very well said, Quentin! I do hope most people in our very prosperous country can express gratitude for the many blessings and resources we have at our fingertips that many other countries in the world sadly lack. Perhaps that gratitude could even spark inspiration for generosity to be shared with our neighbors, both locally and globally.
Tim K
Posted at 16:31h, 26 NovemberGood stuff Quentin! Hope you, Cindy and your entire family have a great, safe Thanksgiving weekend!
Doug Fish
Posted at 16:49h, 26 NovemberI appreciate you selflessly sharing the journey with your fans Quentin. It bought an up-close view of politics to many of us who wouldn’t have otherwise experienced this perspective. Looking forward to you future viewpoints as well.
Lynn Olson
Posted at 21:17h, 26 NovemberI learned a lot too being a delegate for the first time. It was actually fun experience when you have a candidate you are excited about. You would have been a great representative! Thanks for being a candidate, and thanks for continuing to express your sensible, respectful views.
DKnight
Posted at 03:37h, 27 NovemberYour blog has provided an interesting exchange of ideas. I do believe the aversion to Trump runs deep and distracts us all from other motivations of those of us who voted for Orange Man. Trump has his faults and weaknesses, but he was clearly the better choice–and it didn’t help the republicans in MN that many did not recognize the strength of his campaign. Regardless, there is an opposition to the status quo, institutionalism, and the deep state, (which is a real thing), that may be more important than any candidate. The brand of populism that Trump espoused–and that helped carry him–is about freedom. Hopefully, that movement keeps going. Being a centrist often includes trusting giant institutions–that many of us no longer trust. Also, if a republican is going to win this house seat in 2026, the candidate will have to inspire the republican base, and, the middle of the road approach does not fire-up either party’s voters.