Yesterday was like any other day when I went to the mailbox: bills, catalogs, coupons, but then there were two post cards. Postcard number one was shiny and new. It was printed on that nice, slick card stock and reminded me that it was time to vote. The card felt good in my hands and it looked appealing. The candidate pictured looked handsome and had a winning smile. He spoke of conservative values that were important to Tennesseans like me and how we needed to protect those values. Postcard number two was the complete opposite. It was in fact a large index card with a stamp on it. It was frayed at the edges, written in marker and colored pencils, faded, and even had a stain on it, maybe Cheetos? It again reminded me it was time to vote and asked me to vote for their candidate. A liberal, but a farmer, mother, and friend. The card was not appealing at all at first glance and it almost went immediately to the trash with the rest of the mailbox clutter but something stopped me, and I saved both postcards. I sat on my front porch, enjoying an unusually warm February afternoon examining these cards. I started thinking about card number two and realized this card is a lot like me, especially since the 2016 election. We’ve all become a little frayed at the edges, a little faded and stained, and have a little mark of Cheetos on us. I started thinking about a candidate who would let such material go out representing her and realized, she gets it! I realized that there wasn’t some big company that money was given to cranking out business postcards and pre-populating addresses into a bulk mailing system being used here. But instead, it was someone like me, sitting down and taking time to hand write, and decorate an index card especially for me asking me to vote for Gayle Jordan for TN Senate. This person was doing it not for money but for hope, for love, and for the belief that even one person can make a difference. The stain of Cheetos let me know that maybe she had kids running around and she was trying to eat while sacrificing what time she could for the cause, or maybe she had her children help stamp the card. I turned the card over in my hand and noticed it was made out to “The Best Voter Ever” and was post marked from another small rural town in TN. This post card or index card could have came from any of our homes. On the other hand, post card number one was all printed by computer, paid for by a PAC, and mailed displayed a large city post mark. Wow, that takes some money. I’ve done mass mailings just for my small town and I know it’s not cheap.
This got me to thinking which one is more conservative in their values? Sure, we’ve strayed from that notion when it comes to politics but for me I feel that post card number 2, handwritten by people like me, frayed like me, saving every penny they can like me, is more conservative than using a PAC to mass produce and generate marketing materials with no personal touch. If Gayle Jordan is willing to be fiscally responsible in her campaign, can you imagine how fiscally responsible she will be once elected? If Shane Reeves is so hands off and distant from his voters, and using PAC money for his campaign, again, what does that mean if he’s elected. To me the choice is clear and simple. Two post cards, my initial reaction was not my lasting impression but my lasting impression will stay with me and guide me as I continue to support and vote for Gayle Jordan for TN Senate in this Special Election. Will you join me? Do you have questions about Gayle, her stances on the issues, or how she will fight for you? Let me know. I will be more than happy to buy you some coffee and let’s talk. But hurry, early voting has started. Get to the poll, cast your vote for Gayle, and encourage others to do the same. I’m hearing several people are crossing the isle and doing so as they are looking at the candidates and issues and not the R or D and seeing who will actually do a better job serving others instead of serving themselves. Remember your elected officials are there for you, not to line their own pockets by accepting money for their corporations and getting tax breaks for their business.