Whether it’s in checkers, baseball, or elections, losing is no fun at all but it sure is an honor to have the chance to compete.
My election defeat for Macomb County Clerk was by the slimmest of margins, only 680 votes out of over 376,000 cast. Sincere congratulations and best wishes to those who won, both for Macomb County Clerk and President of the United States. Service to the public is an honor and I am grateful for the time that has been allotted me.
Most of all I am grateful for and inspired by the many people who joined and supported me in this campaign. THANK YOU to all those who made contributions of time, energy, and money. We lost but we should not feel like losers. I am proud of the campaign we ran, how hard we competed, and how we stood up for the values and policies we believe in. I take full responsibility for any of this campaign’s shortcomings and still have pride with the work we have done. To all who have done so much to help and support me, I owe you a debt and hope you will call on me to support your endeavors and projects that advance our common values.
As of this writing, the immediate path forward is not clear but one thing I know is that there are lots of ways to serve and to lead, most of which don’t require elected office. Jen and I continue to remain hopeful and optimistic about the future. An associate of Jen’s wrote, “Whenever I have had career setbacks like this election was for Fred I have thought there never is a downside to having more family time. This is especially true while your girls are young. In hindsight, any career setback which allowed more time with my family while they were growing up I do not regret.” Valuable perspective indeed.
So now we turn our immediate efforts towards enjoying the upcoming holiday season and to cherishing our family, friends, and many blessings. You have been a blessing to me and hold a special place in my personal story. Let’s keep writing the story of the future together.
Your Friend,
Fred Miller